Failure of Democrats' H.R. 1 Spurs Louder Calls to Scrap the Filibuster

Because of Senate rules, Democrats were unable to pass their voting "rights" bill this week, so now more of them want to change the rules.

"You know, there's a reality," Sen. Bob Menendez told CNN's Jake Tapper on Wednesday.

"The reality is that we don't have 60 votes in the United States Senate, and for so long as the filibuster rule continues to be the rule in the history of the Senate, then we're going to have a challenge on some of these big things.

"But I will say it takes two to tango," Menendez continued.

"So, if I invite you to do things, whether it's on infrastructure or voting rights and you basically say no, then it creates the impetus for some to consider what is necessary to be done to change the rules to permit maybe at least a democracy exception, because this is the very core of our government and how we proceed. And it affects all other things."

Tapper asked Menendez, "So you would support getting rid of the filibuster for an election reform bill exclusively, not just in general?"

"In the absence of any visible demonstration by Republicans to come to the table and broaden the scope of how we make the right to vote is enhanced, how do we get dark money out of our system, how do we ultimately have greater transparency in the funding of elections -- I would consider that," Menendez replied.