Rep. Pramila Jayapal brazenly admits her hypocrisy on Senate rules after Trump election 'trifecta'



Washington state Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal didn't mince words when she admitted her complete hypocrisy over changing Senate rules after the devastating election for Democrats.

Far-left Democrats have called for senators to get rid of the filibuster rule in order to allow a simple majority to pass legislation instead of having to secure some support from the opposing party. Critics on the right and others cautioned against lowering standards for bipartisanship in Congress.

'Clearly not enough voters knew what Democrats were gonna do to make their lives better.'

Jayapal was asked by Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post whether she still supported changing the filibuster rule after President-elect Donald Trump chalked up historic gains in the election.

"Am I championing getting rid of the filibuster now when the [GOP] has the trifecta? No. But had we had the trifecta, I would have been," she responded.

Trump has been declared the electoral vote victor and will likely be declared the popular vote winner. Republicans have regained control the U.S. Senate while getting closer to increasing control of the House of Representatives.

"If we had had control of the trifecta and gotten rid of the filibuster to pass minimum wage, to pass paid sick leave," Jayapal continued, "things that are passing on ballot measures that are so popular… then I think we would have built some trust with the American people."

She didn't even pretend to acknowledge the brazen hypocrisy of her position on the filibuster.

Jayapal added that it would have been justified for Democrats to get rid of the filibuster "because we have to show that the government can deliver."

Jayapal also offered her explanation for the devastating election losses for Democrats.

"Clearly not enough voters knew what Democrats were gonna do to make their lives better," she replied, "particularly poor and working class Americans across this country."

She went to say Democrats were eager to mount an effort to defeat Trump's appointments, which she said were extreme.

"I think we’re gonna continue to see a number of people that have disturbing histories being appointed to many of these positions," Jayapal added. "We’re gonna have to figure out how we fight that best."

Jayapal is the chair of the Progressive Caucus in Congress.

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Kyrsten Sinema defends filibuster ahead of Senate vote on 'For the People Act' — which Republicans will block



Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) infuriated progressive activists and pundits Tuesday by reiterating her opposition to nuking the Senate filibuster in an op-ed warning of the consequences of doing so.

The timing of her Washington Post op-ed, which predicts "repeated radical reversals" of federal law without the filibuster, coincides with an expected vote in the Senate to consider the "For the People Act," a Democratic bill that would overhaul U.S. elections. Republicans in the Senate will block the bill by ensuring that it does not meet the 60-vote threshold to advance to a vote on passage. Progressives believe the legislation is vital to undo Republican election integrity reforms at the state level and have called on Democrats to abolish the legislative filibuster to pass the "For the People Act" and other progressive priorities.

"To those who want to eliminate the legislative filibuster to pass the For the People Act (voting-rights legislation I support and have co-sponsored), I would ask: 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?" Sinema wrote, acknowledging that without the filibuster a future Republican majority could easily reverse any accomplishments Biden achieves in the short term.

"This question is less about the immediate results from any of these Democratic or Republican goals — it is the likelihood of repeated radical reversals in federal policy, cementing uncertainty, deepening divisions and further eroding Americans' confidence in our government," she warned.

So far, 18 Senate Democrats have publicly supported abolishing the filibuster, while another 27 senators have expressed openness to considering reforms. Sinema reminded her colleagues that just four years ago, when Donald Trump was the president, 31 Democrats signed a letter opposing elimination of the filibuster.

"I share the belief expressed in 2017 by 31 Senate Democrats opposing elimination of the filibuster — a belief shared by President Biden," she wrote. "While I am confident that several senators in my party still share that belief, the Senate has not held a debate on the matter."

Sinema is joined in opposition to abolishing the filibuster by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) who has fended off harassing questions from reporters on whether he'll change his position over and over again. The reality for Democrats is there are not enough votes to end the filibuster, which means they will have to compromise and win Republican support for Biden's major initiatives.

Manchin has proposed an alternative election reform bill that includes several concessions meant to appease Republicans like a national voter ID requirement, but so far it appears no Republican will support an expanded role for the federal government in U.S. elections.