Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) urged the U.S. Senate to eliminate the filibuster as concerns of a second government shutdown at the end of January loom, calling it "destructive" in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Kudlow.
Substitute host David Asman began the discussion by asking Rep. Donalds how Republicans might stop a second shutdown, to which he replied, "I cannot stop [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer (D-NY) from doing stupid things in the United States Senate. My position is clear: I think it is time for the Senate filibuster to end. Democrats, by and large, are not interested in real reforms.
Asman asked for clarification on whether Rep. Donalds wanted the filibuster eliminated solely to prevent a shutdown or eliminated altogether.
The Florida Congressman affirmed that the filibuster should be eliminated altogether, saying that it has "been really destructive of the Senate."
"Good bills go to die because you cannot find a way to get 10 Democrat Senators to go along with common sense policy," Donalds continued, adding, "Furthermore, I would add, what the Senate filibuster does right now, it does not breed compromise. It ends compromise before you even have an opportunity to pull it together."
After all, he explained, the current cloture rule was first enacted in 1917 to end filibusters by requiring 67 votes, which was lowered to 60 in 1975.
Nevertheless, Donalds declared, "If you want to get rid of this Minnesota fraud, if you want to curtail budgets, find a way to pay down debt, and secure our nation's borders once and for all, you have got to get it through the Senate. And let's be very clear: Senate Democrats are not interested in common-sense policy that is going to decrease costs, protect America, and conserve America for another 250 years."
In October, Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) similarly called for eliminating the filibuster to end the government shutdown, which had lasted from the beginning of the month into mid-November.
