It was quite a sight to see Democrats, who had been fiercely criticizing the Senate filibuster for years, now insisting on using it to halt a Trump-supported continuing resolution. This sudden change of stance did not go unnoticed by former Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who had been a target of her own party for her refusal to do away with the filibuster. Sinema took the opportunity to point out the glaring hypocrisy of her fellow Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Despite facing criticism and backlash from her own party in the past, Sinema did not shy away from highlighting the irony of the situation. Ocasio-Cortez, who had previously referred to the filibuster as a tool of segregationists, found herself in a tight spot and attempted to defend her change of position. However, her response was riddled with inaccuracies and appeared to be a feeble attempt to justify her newfound support for the filibuster.
Change of heart on the filibuster, I see! pic.twitter.com/dvkfVrSwJJ
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) March 15, 2025
Ocasio-Cortez’s response not only failed to address the underlying issue of hypocrisy but also included a blatant falsehood that was hard to ignore. The exchange highlighted a concerning lack of understanding or awareness on Ocasio-Cortez’s part, raising questions about her grasp of reality and the issues at hand.
Still no.
In fact, the same Dems who argue to keep the filibuster “for when we need it” do not, in fact, use it when we need it.
It’s only used to block Dem policies. Never to block harmful GOP ones.
Could have proved us wrong. Instead they proved the point. https://t.co/F0d3juPg5L
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2025
Let’s consider what she just said. Remember, as I mentioned, this is a woman who called the filibuster a “tool of segregationists.” Thus, I’m left to believe that Ocasio-Cortez is such a listless politician that she would use a “tool of segregationists” to satisfy her political wants. That seems like an issue for someone who claims to be a social justice warrior, doesn’t it?
But the most ridiculous thing she says there is that Democrats “do not, in fact, use [the filibuster] when we need it.” She then goes on to say, “It’s only used to block Dem policies. Never to block harmful GOP ones.” Not only is that not true, it’s the complete opposite of the truth. In fact, Democrats, during the first Trump administration, pioneered the extensive use of the filibuster as a legislative tool, using it 327 times in one year alone to halt Republican policies. Does that sound like Democrats “never” use the filibuster “to block harmful GOP ones?”
Sinema didn’t take Ocasio-Cortez’s ridiculous “clap back” lying down.
Literally zero Senate Democrats support the filibuster.
38 voted to filibuster the continuing resolution yesterday.
8 who previously voted to eliminate the filibuster (1/19/22) did not filibuster.
1 who previously campaigned against the filibuster did not filibuster. https://t.co/BujERDunOR
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) March 15, 2025
What Sinema is pointing out is what should have been obvious from the beginning of this entire discussion. Democrats have no boundaries. They do not actually believe anything they say at any given moment. Everything they do is in pursuit of raw power. The ends always justify the means. Sinema stood up to that notion, and Democrats took her out. Now, those same Democrats get to roll around in the disgusting sludge of their own hypocrisy as they cling to the filibuster as a tool against Donald Trump.
I’d love to say some lessons will be learned here, but they won’t. The next time Democrats take power, they’ll try to end the filibuster again, despite it being useful to them right now. They always believe the next election is the last one in terms of their political power being transcendent. Thinking five minutes ahead, much less several years, is outside of their purview.
