Harry Reid on Why Democrats Need to End the Filibuster

Is abolishing the filibuster necessary in order for Congress to pass meaningful climate legislation? A handful of Democratic presidential candidates have called for throwing out the Senate rule, claiming that it exacerbates gridlock in Washington DC. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also believes that abolishing the filibuster is critical to passing legislation and tackling the most important issues facing the United States, including climate change. But could killing the filibuster end up making U.S. politics even more volatile? We discuss with Senator Reid himself on this week’s episode of Political Climate. Plus we get his views on the Green New Deal and whether or not he sees hyper-partisanship subsiding in the U.S. anytime soon. Recommended reading: NYT: The Filibuster Is Suffocating the Will of the American People Vox: The Democratic debate over filibuster reform, explained WaPo: Where 2020 Democratic candidates stand on the electoral college, court packing and changes to democracy Vice: Harry Reid: 'Of Course' Medicare for All and Decriminalizing Border Crossings Are Bad Ideas Hood to Coast Relay Fundraiser Political Climate is produced in partnership with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. Subscribe to the Political Climate podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, GooglePlay, Overcast or any of these other services!