John Fetterman wants Democrats to stop wasting time and eliminate the filibuster
By: Clare Foran (Originally published in CNN on September 10, 2021)
(CNN) John Fetterman thinks Senate Democrats are making a big mistake.
The party has a rare opportunity with a majority in Congress and control of the White House. But Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor who is running for Senate, fears Democrats are wasting that opportunity by not eliminating the filibuster and failing to enact key priorities.
“Stop apologizing for the space we take up as a party and ram some stuff through and get it done,” Fetterman said in an interview with CNN. “As a Democrat, I would just hate to be in a position of only being able to accomplish what Mitch McConnell allows us to.”
Fetterman, who stands at a towering height of 6-foot-8 inches tall and has tattoos down his arms, identifies as a populist and said during the interview that he is running as a “get sh*t done Democrat.” He argues the party is not delivering on promises to voters and warns the stakes are too high for inaction as bills to protect voting rights and prevent gun violence hit a wall in the Senate as a result of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to pass most legislation.
