The hottest Senate Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

The Filibuster Saves the Senate from Itself

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 426 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The filibuster acts as a brake on narrow majorities, stopping them from pushing through sweeping or unpopular changes like nationalizing voting rules.
  2. Majorities often threaten to eliminate the filibuster to get their way. Yet when the other party later controls the Senate, it usually chooses not to abolish the rule either.
  3. Moderates and senators who value institutional stability prefer keeping the filibuster, so it survives repeated attempts to end it.

Why I Changed My Mind About the Shutdown ‘Surrender.’

Breaking the News • 4283 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Changing my viewpoint made me realize that some political decisions can actually strengthen a party's position, even if they seem like a loss at first.
  2. Political reactions often take time to process, and knee-jerk responses might miss the bigger picture of long-term strategy.
  3. Staying united is crucial for achieving goals, and acknowledging feelings while focusing on the future can help rally support.

The SAVE America Act Won't Pass the Senate

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The SAVE America Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship and photo ID to register and vote in federal elections, and it passed the House but now faces a tough path in the Senate.
  2. The Senate’s 60‑vote cloture rule and the filibuster let a minority block the bill even with a bare majority, so Republicans are weighing either reviving a talking filibuster to raise the cost of blocking bills or using the 'nuclear option' to lower the threshold.
  3. The president cannot change Senate rules directly, but can pressure senators, make the issue a national priority, enforce existing election laws, and try to reshape the Senate over time by supporting sympathetic candidates.
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Will some Democrat Senators vote for RFK Jr?

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 107 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Some Democrat Senators might support RFK Jr. because they believe he can bring about important changes, especially in food policies and health regulations.
  2. Concerns about infectious diseases like measles and polio are overshadowed by the more pressing issues of chronic diseases caused by poor diet and exposure to harmful substances.
  3. Partisan politics and groupthink may prevent more Democrats from supporting RFK Jr., even when they see the benefits he could provide in health and wellness.

federalism fixes this

bad cattitude • 179 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. In a free market, consumer choices provide valuable information to producers, leading to better products and services.
  2. Monopolies created by governments can disrupt market mechanisms like pricing signals and consumer sovereignty, resulting in inefficiencies.
  3. The 17th Amendment fundamentally changed the US government structure by shifting power away from states' representation in the Senate to direct election by the people, impacting federalism and democratic principles.

THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE BOMBS

Seymour Hersh • 45 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The Senate Armed Services Committee prioritizes culture war over the war in Ukraine during a hearing for the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  2. Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the first African American to lead a branch of the US Armed Forces, is nominated to be the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  3. The Senate committee expressed a hard-line stance, focusing on China as the primary competitor and addressing other threats like Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Joe Biden Can Win. It Won't Get Better.

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 15 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The article discusses the challenges Joe Biden is facing in the 2024 election cycle, including his age and lack of a strong vision for the future.
  2. The piece highlights the potential risks of Biden's re-election, such as potential stagnation with an 82-year-old president and a Republican-controlled Senate.
  3. It suggests that while Biden may have a chance of winning, there are concerns about his ability to lead effectively in the upcoming years, especially considering the current political climate.

The Magnificent Seven

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 13 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. US Congressman Marjorie Taylor Green is trying to hold unofficial hearings on important issues.
  2. The lack of sufficient support in Congress is hindering progress on important matters.
  3. A group dubbed the Dream Team led by Bret Weinstein is stepping up to confront challenges.

The Real Missed Romney Opportunity?

Gideon's Substack • 11 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Romney's opportunity for real change was in the Senate, not the White House
  2. A centrist third party in the Senate could have balanced ideologies and changed the political landscape
  3. Romney could have initiated a centrist party to make senators cooperate across party lines and shift the Senate's dynamics

Deliberations

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 05 Aug 10
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Deliberation in politics is not just about talking; it's about finding and voting on the best ideas. When someone proposes a better idea, it should win if most agree.
  2. The Senate allows for more input on ideas compared to the House, which often restricts amendments and discussion. This can lead to a lack of representation for popular ideas in the House.
  3. Both the Senate and House have their issues: the Senate can be blocked by a minority, while the House often silences majority support. Finding a balance between the two is challenging but important.

RIP: Robert Byrd

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 28 Jun 10
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Robert Byrd was the longest-serving Senator in U.S. history, holding office for over 51 years. He had a significant impact on the Senate and was known for his knowledge of its procedures.
  2. Byrd had a complex legacy, having been a former member of the Klan and participating in the filibuster against the civil rights act, but he later renounced and apologized for his past actions.
  3. The 'Byrd rule' is an important Senate procedure named after him, which can impact legislation process. The term 'Byrd bath' refers to the careful review process to ensure legislation complies with this rule.

Primary Election 2024: Republican ballot

The Charlotte Ledger • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The post provides detailed information about candidates on the Republican ballot for the 2024 primary election in Mecklenburg County, covering various positions like the council of state, US Congress, and the NC Court of Appeals.
  2. There are intriguing storylines in the Republican primary, such as candidates vying for governor, congressional seats, and lieutenant governor, including figures like Dale Folwell, Mark Harris, and Jim O'Neill.
  3. The article highlights the backgrounds, key issues, and noteworthy aspects of the candidates, ranging from their experience in politics, stances on critical matters like education and healthcare, to any controversies or unique characteristics.

The SCOTUS Nomination, Senate Procedure, and Democratic Strategy

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 28 Jun 18
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Democrats can't block a Supreme Court nominee like Republicans did with Garland because they don't have a majority in the Senate. This means they can't stop the nomination process directly.
  2. If Democrats want to slow down the Senate's work to increase the costs of a nomination, they would need to use complicated strategies like dragging out debates or refusing to agree on routine procedures. However, this is likely to backfire politically.
  3. Since they probably can't stop the nomination, Democrats will likely focus on shaping public opinion and preparing for future elections rather than trying to defeat the nominee outright.

Pence vs. Pete

IMPORTANTVILLE • 0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. If Mike Pence runs for president in 2024, it would be a significant moment in Hoosier history.
  2. There is a longstanding feud between Mike Pence and Pete Buttigieg, with recent remarks reigniting the tension.
  3. Republican Sen. Todd Young has had a big week, with notable accomplishments in repealing authorizations for military force and meeting with federal officials.

Fasten your wonk belt: let's talk filling the tree in the Senate

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 02 Mar 12
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. In the Senate, any senator can propose amendments to a bill, which means a lot of ideas can be discussed, even if they are not directly related to the bill. This makes the Senate a place for open debate.
  2. Filling the tree is a process where the majority leader can limit the amendments that can be made to a bill, essentially blocking others from changing the proposed legislation. This can help the majority pass their ideas without unwanted changes.
  3. The House of Representatives has stricter rules that allow the majority to control the amendments more tightly, which some say limits true democratic discussion. In this sense, the Senate has more room for debate compared to the House.

Filibusters and Cloture

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 08 Dec 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. Filibusters are tricky to measure because not all of them get recorded, and political decisions can change how many cloture votes are taken. This makes it hard to see the true level of obstruction in the Senate.
  2. Using the number of failed cloture votes as proof of filibusters isn't foolproof. Sometimes, votes fail not because of obstruction but due to party preferences.
  3. The number of filibusters isn't the only important thing; the overall size of the legislative agenda matters too. More legislation can mean more chances for filibusters, even if the percentage of filibustered items goes down.

On non-debatable motions

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 07 Oct 11
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Senate
  1. The Senate can create new precedents through motions and appeals, changing how rules are applied. This means they can clarify what is considered a dilatory motion after cloture.
  2. When cloture is invoked, it doesn't stop everything; it sets up specific rules for how the Senate continues. This includes limits on debate and what types of amendments can be introduced.
  3. In the Senate, certain motions can't be debated once cloture is in effect. This allows for quicker decisions and can affect how the minority party engages in debate.