DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the July 15, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, the Constitution’s authors intended legislation to be passed by a simple majority vote, mandating a supermajority vote for only a few specific reasons, with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton arguing for simple majority rule in Federalist Nos. 10, 22, and 58; and

WHEREAS, the filibuster was created unintentionally in 1806 by a rule drafting error with the genesis of its modern version created by slave-owning Senator and Vice President John C. Calhoun to preserve slavery prior to the Civil War before it was subsequently used to block voting rights for Black citizens during Reconstruction, then in the Jim Crow era to deny minorities and, in particular Black citizens, their voting rights, and in recent decades its use has increased to the point where the filibuster is now used to routinely require 60 votes to pass any legislation; and

WHEREAS, that bipartisan majorities of the American people want the 117th Congress to address such matters as the reestablishment of voting rights for all citizens, a livable wage for all American workers, sensible gun legislation, affordable quality healthcare for all, effective greenhouse gas reductions, a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and more, requires the abolition of the filibuster because 41 Republican Senators representing just 21 percent of the country can block any bill no matter how popular;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County declares our support for the immediate elimination of the Senate Filibuster, extends its thanks to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla for stating his commitment to eliminating or reforming the filibuster, and calls upon U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein to publicly acknowledge that our democracy is in danger and that she will do whatever is necessary to pass urgent legislation through the abolishment or reform of the filibuster; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to Contra Costa County Democrats and members of the United States House of Representatives representing any part of Contra Costa County. 

Submitted by:

Renee Zeimer, Elected Member, District 2
Harry Wiener, Associate Member, District 1
Craig Cheslog, Associate Member, District 2