A number of delegates at a Green Party Convention in Oakland proposed that all decisions should be made by unanimous consent. According to the supporters of this idea, some American Indian tribes decided issues that way, continuing to discuss a problem until all agreed on a solution.
I argued against such a policy, pointing out that it would permit one person to rule over everyone else. It was the least democratic way to run an organization one could imagine.
Unfortunately, the Senate Democratic caucus operates on that system. Because the Republicans are united and hold fifty of 100 seats, any single Democratic Senator can hold the other 49 hostage until they cave to that Senator’s wishes. One Senator, representing West Virginia, did just that on the Covid relief bill.
I suppose I should be grateful that the bill passed, even if watered down, and I hope Speaker Pelosi can keep her team on board, although she also has a small margin to work with. My fear is that this sets a bad precedent for climate legislation, voting rights legislation, and any other bills that come before Congress.
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