Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Thursday called on Democrats to come together to “abolish the filibuster” and “move legislation” in a message that ends: “Let’s grow a backbone,” in response to a quote from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., from earlier this week.
McConnell said during a press conference on Wednesday that “100 percent of my focus is on stopping this new administration.”
Omar tweeted on Thursday: “Please stop asking us about bipartisanship when this is what the leader of the other party is focused on. Democrats can’t repeat the mistake of 2009, we must abolish the filibuster & move legislation that helps us deliver progress for the American people. Let’s grow a backbone.”
The minority leader also said, “I think the best way of looking at what this new administration is the President may have won the nomination, but [Vermont independent Sen.] Bernie Sanders won the argument about what the new administration should be like. We are confronted with severe challenges from the new administration and a narrow majority in the House and a 50-50 Senate to turn American into a socialist country, and that’s 100% of my focus.”
McConnell’s words mirror a statement he made in 2010, when he told the National Journal that “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President [Barack] Obama to be a one-term president.”
President Joe Biden noted this comment in a recent comment to the press.
“Look, he said that in our last administration with Barack — he was going to stop everything — and I was able to get a lot done with him,” Biden said, according to CNN.
“Again, look — everything I’m proposing that be done to generate economic growth, employment, and put us in a position where we can out-compete any other country in the world with research and development, and moving ahead: I pay for it,” he said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, “Well, I guess the contrast for people to consider is 100% of our focus is on delivering relief to the American people, on getting the pandemic under control, and putting people back to work, and we welcome and support engagement and work with the Republicans on that.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., added: “We need to stop allowing McConnell to block our POPULAR agenda. End the filibuster, ditch Mitch, and deliver for the people.”
“We can’t let obstructionists block us from getting things done in the Senate and delivering results for the American people,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., according to Newsweek. “If that takes reforming the filibuster, I’m for that. If it takes getting rid of the filibuster, I’m for that too.”
Source: Newmax
