Murphy fires back at Trump on filibuster

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) ripped President Trump on Twitter Friday for suggesting the Senate do away with the legislative filibuster, arguing that Trump’s “unpopular” agenda couldn’t pass through Congress regardless of the filibuster rule.

Murphy took to Twitter to suggest that Trump should try and pass his “hurtful” agenda with a “20 or 25 vote threshold,” implying that Trump couldn’t muster support stronger than a few dozen lawmakers.

“[Affordable Care Act] repeal couldn’t pass w 50 vote rule. For your unpopular, hurtful agenda, you should prob be pushing for like a 20 or 25 vote threshold,” Murphy told Trump.

ACA repeal couldn’t pass w 50 vote rule. For your unpopular, hurtful agenda, you should prob be pushing for like a 20 or 25 vote threshold. https://t.co/JEOVRYSqMo

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) September 15, 2017

Murphy’s comments come in response to Trump’s latest attack on the Senate’s filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to bypass.

Trump has frequently attacked the rule and called on the Senate to end it, especially after the upper chamber’s failure in July to pass the “skinny repeal” of ObamaCare, which failed by a vote of 51-49.

“With the ridiculous Filibuster Rule in the Senate, Republicans need 60 votes to pass legislation, rather than 51,” Trump wrote on Twitter Friday morning. “Can’t get votes, END NOW!’

{mosads}

Last week, Trump again attacked the rule and Senate Republicans from his Twitter account, calling the filibuster a “Repub death wish.”

“The Senate Filibuster Rule will never allow the Republicans to pass even great legislation,” Trump wrote last week. “It is a Repub death wish!”

In July, Trump warned that future parts of his legislation would need 60 votes to pass unless Republicans in the Senate acted to change the rule.

“If Republicans are going to pass great future legislation in the Senate, they must immediately go to a 51 vote majority, not senseless 60,” he wrote on Twitter in July. “Even though parts of healthcare could pass at 51, some really good things need 60. So many great future bills & budgets need 60 votes.”