NBC News: “Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a crucial swing-vote in the Senate Democrats’ slim majority, said Sunday that he won’t bend in his support for the filibuster, a Senate rule that forces most legislation to require bipartisan support to pass.
But he added that he would be open to Democrats passing more important legislation like voting reforms by a party-line vote — if senators are given ample space for bipartisan negotiation first.
“I’m not going to change my mind on the filibuster,” Manchin said in an interview with “Meet the Press.”
“It takes listening to the minority to make sure the majority is getting it right.”
The filibuster effectively sets the bar for most legislation at 60 votes in the Senate, which means that the Democrats currently need the support of 10 Republican senators to get many of their legislative items across the finish line.
Progressives have been pressuring Senate Democrats to abolish the filibuster, arguing that lowering that threshold is the only way to get President Joe Biden’s agenda enacted, but Manchin’s vote would be needed to get rid of the procedural rule.
Manchin has repeatedly bucked those calls, although he did say on Sunday’s show that he was “willing to look at” ideas to make the filibuster “a little bit more painful,” like requiring lawmakers to take to the floor for marathon speeches if they wanted to use the procedure.”