As a candidate for Senate, I think it's important to be blunt. Some candidates like to hide behind poll-tested phrases. Others jump on board a cause only when it's safe to do so.
I have a different philosophy.
It's why on marriage equality I haven't minced words, and why I supported a public option long before most Democrats dared to say the words. And it's why I'm here today, to talk about the urgent need for filibuster reform.
I had the honor of attending Netroots Nation this year and I met so many of you. I heard a lot about filibuster reform and had a few people ask where I stand.
Let me be crystal clear: should I be so fortunate as to be elected, on day one in the Senate, I will join the fight to amend the Senate rules and fix our broken filibuster system. I will vote in favor of Senator Udall's proposed motion to consider the rules of the Senate, I will vote in favor of common-sense and fair filibuster reform, and I will work day and night to bring as many of my colleagues on board as possible.
All you have to do is look at the how close the vote counting is on the DISCLOSE act to know that the system is disgustingly broken. I think it will be a national embarrassment if DISCLOSE can't come to floor, even with 59 votes. We MUST take corporations out of elections and reform the filibuster.
Filibuster reform isn't a new issue for me. Back during my primary, I was on Daily Kos talking about the urgent need to get rid of the modern day filibuster:
When President Obama was running for President, he said that Washington is to the place good ideas go to die. There’s no bigger killer of good ideas in the U.S Senate than the modern-day filibuster. I will be a vocal advocate for filibuster reform in the Senate.
What was a tool originally conceived to make it difficult to close debate until every member was given full opportunity to express their thoughts has turned into a weapon wielded in a way that inflicts legislative paralysis. The process clearly needs to be reformed.
The current system allows Senators to block progress with the mere threat of a filibuster. That’s undemocratic, and it’s unacceptable. Whatever the solution, it should include an end to the silent filibuster. I believe that if 40 Senators oppose a bill, the citizens of this nation deserve to witness that opposition in full form, just as votes for or against a bill are of public record.
There are several intriguing solutions, from complete abolishment of the filibuster to lowering the threshold to a graduated filibuster that requires fewer and fewer votes to break as days go on. The specific remedy is not as important as the need to fix the broken status quo; we should put all options on the table and come to agreement on a way to restore sanity to the world’s greatest deliberative body.
Finally, while a freshman Senator may not wield much power in the U.S. Senate, if the people of Illinois honor me with that post, I will be a fierce advocate for the principle that, on whatever the issue, we must
begin with the strongest bill possible. I will also be guided by the core idea that, while we must compromise as bills go through the chamber, we must never compromise our principles.
The dirty secret in Washington is this. No matter how good a proposal you may have, it's easier for a handful of Senators kill a bill today than to have a majority fight for its passage.
That's just wrong, and I plan to do everything in my power as a candidate and hopefully as a Senator to make it right.
Last week, I held an open forum on my government reform plan and we discussed filibuster reform. Check it out below and let me know your thoughts on how we can fix the Senate and get it working the way it was meant to work for the American people.