Support our work: https://www.democracynow.org/donate?campaign=sm-desc-yt&utm_campaign=sm-desc-yt&utm_content=description&utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube As Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announces he will step down as the Senate's Republican leader after 17 years — the longest term in Senate history — we speak with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, who says, "McConnell's legacy has been one of obstruction." He describes McConnell's "aggressive" use of the filibuster, the topic of Merkley's new book, _Filibustered!: How to Fix the Broken Senate and Save America_, as having "broken the cycle in which government can function." Merkley also discusses Republican manipulation of judicial appointments and the cloture motion in pushing the legislature further right. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe