AOC Criticizes Sinema’s Argument for Defending the Filibuster: ‘Our Job Is To Legislate’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) says Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (D-Ariz.) argument for defending the filibuster in the Senate is flawed.

The filibuster is a procedural hurdle in the Senate that is used to block or delay legislation and requires 60 votes to overcome.

Sinema penned an op-ed last week defending it and asked, “Would it be good for our country if we did, only to see that legislation rescinded a few years from now and replaced by a nationwide voter-ID law or restrictions on voting by mail in federal elections, over the objections of the minority?”

But during an interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez disputed that argument as she said, “It’s essentially an argument of saying, ‘Well why do anything at all, in case something in the future may change it.'”

“Political systems all across the country — I mean, all across the world — pass legislation with majorities, and they’re fine. And, frankly, here’s the thing, is that Democratic legislation, once enacted, is popular. Republicans have tried to gut Social Security. They’ve tried to reverse the ,” she continued. “They’ve tried to claw back on legislation that has passed by simple majorities in the Senate, and they haven’t been able to because Democratic policies are popular, and once they are enacted, they are very politically difficult to undo.”

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“Our job is to legislate. Our job is to help people. Our job is to do as much as we can. And even if that’s the case, even if that is the case, wouldn’t it be better to get people health care and voting rights for three years instead of zero years, even if, even if you concede the point that I don’t even think is true in the first place, ” she added.

“Beyond that, then the argument is, OK, why 60 votes? Why not stop at 70 votes? Why not need 80 votes to pass any legislation. Why defend a 60-vote filibuster when the Senate already amplifies minority power so that the 50 Democratic senators already represent millions and millions and millions more Americans than 50 Republican senators. And so I would argue that 50 Republican senators is already a built-in, kind of filibuster-esque, firewall.”

Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) have both repeatedly voiced opposition to eliminating the filibuster, which would let Democrats pass legislation with just 50 votes as Vice President Kamala Harris could cast the tie-breaking 51st vote.