Minds are usually made up prior to any debate taking place. Usually along party lines and not on the merits of the proposed legislation. Especially in today's modern political era of polarization, the great divide and the mega, ultra high partisanship. No one listens to the other side anyway.
My only concern about doing away with the filibuster for legislation is that legislation will become like executive orders. Any new president can repeal, revoke, change any EO of any previous president. Without the filibuster, legislation could become just like EO's. A new president comes into power with his party in control of congress, he can repeal any and all legislation his little pea picking heart so desires.
You could see the Democrats pass their infrastructure bill, their voting rights bill, you name it. Then come 2024 if the Republicans come into power, all those could easily be repealed replaced by whatever the GOP wanted. The filibuster does or did have a steadying influence. No lurches left and then right. The survival of the ACA can be attributed to the filibuster. Without it, the ACA would be long gone.
Normally, in a previous political era I'd be adamant against ending the filibuster. But in today's modern political era, why not. Perhaps this would be what is needed to get some common sense back into the two parties. Let the Dems pass whatever they want, then when the GOP comes back into power, let them repeal whatever they want and pass what they want. Then when the Dems return, it would be their turn.
We've seen what the nuclear led to, Barrett, Kavanaugh. Without the nuclear option to end all debate, filibuster, it would have taken 60 votes and neither one of them would have been confirmed. These things have a habit of coming back around and biting one in the butt.
The sad thing is if a couple of senators from your party were going to vote against a bill your party wanted, chances were in the past you could find 4 or 5 senators from, the other party to climb aboard. But not in today's modern political era. Every thing is pretty much straight party line. 20 years ago, straight party line votes were very rare if at all. Not today.
One thing to remember, Manchin represents the state of West Virginia, the most conservative state in the nation. You can't expect him to act like he represents New York or California. He may be a democrat, but he represent the folks of West Virginia. He has to take their wants and wishes into consideration.
