Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass), one of AOC’s “squad”, has implicated as racist the longstanding tradition of the Senate filibuster by claiming that it is a Jim Crow remnant. She is either intentionally lying to garner support for its dissolution or she is woefully ignorant of the filibuster’s origins. Either way makes her unsuitable as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Pressley is quoted in a recent news article (via a Twitter post) of the following:
Only the filibuster’s origins have nothing to do with “Jim Crow” laws. In fact, the rule change that allowed for the filibuster originated in 1806, and it’s first use was in 1837 – long before the post-civil war era that led to the development of Jim Crow laws. But, to be fair, former President Obama made the same claim recently. However, this endorsement of her idea does not excuse Rep. Pressley from investigating the origins of the filibuster before making such outlandish claims.
Making false claims of racism is the equivalent of crying “Wolf!”, and at some point the people will tire of these invented claims. But how many traditions and rights will be trampled in the mean time by such incorrect assertions?