Rule allows minority party to block legislation, but GOP is reluctant to scrap it as they could lose majority
Donald Trump has floated the idea of ending the filibuster – a procedural technique in Congress that allows a minority of senators to block legislation from passing – which would make pushing through his political agenda in 2026 much easier.
In an interview with Politico, Trump urged Republicans in the Senate to scrap the filibuster, saying it had become an obstacle to effective governing and removing it would prevent another government shutdown and pave the way for his party to push through its legislative priorities.
Scraping the arcane-sounding legislative device is sometimes favored by the party with a majority in the Senate, but opposed by the other because it allows them to use their minority status to block legislation from passing
Senators typically back off from proposals to end it, because they don’t want to get steamrolled by a simple majority when the balance of power shifts again. Centrists in both parties typically oppose ending the filibuster as a way to defend against partisan political excesses.
“The last guy nearly ruined this place
he didn’t know what to do with it.
If you think this country’s bad off now,
just wait 'til I get through with it.”- Groucho Marx, Duck Soup, 1933
The filibuster as it exists now should not exist.
If a Senator wants to talk for 36 hours, let them. But giving every single senator veto power over any legislation is absurd.
Regardless of who is in charge — get rid of this slave-era tool.
I am more widely in favor after he is dead or out of office than I would be of it being abolished now, though.
This would be terrible for them if they fall out of power. Fingers are crossed
That’s the problem with fascists. They grab power but don’t think about what happens when it’s the other side who wields it.
This is why we decided NO ONE should have full power. Our rulers have forgotten. We need to remind them.
How do you suggest we do that?
We might look to France for inspiration
Brutal colonialism and installing an emperor within a couple of decades of demanding an end to authoritarianism? Slaughtering proto-socialists when they establish a commune in the capital? Treating Brown people with disdain and like perpetual foreigners? Demanding that African nations keep the bulk of their specie in our central bank? Cooperating with CIA operations where innocent people black bagged and tortured because they might have information on communism?
In a way that will realistically never happen in such a large country that arms it’s police like they’re military.
I’ll happily arm up, call the people I train with, and get to work. unfortunately without large scale organization that simply isn’t allowed by the alphabet squads because “domestic terrorism” or any number of made up bullshit claims (any leftist/progressive group. see also: black Panthers) the only thing that would result is 1-15 people dead in the street. Or more likely their beds, because they got raided at 2am and the cops just dropped grenades on their houses/apartments.
I do love how much I’ve been seeing “.ca” users clearly advocating that the US go through another revolution/civil war/domestic disturbance that causes the deaths of thousands, if not millions.
Why do Americans always jump to guns and shooting the place up? The next step to a disagreement with the government is hard protest, strikes, disruptions and disobedience. You either sit there doing nothing and whining that you don’t like it or you think you have to go on a murder rampage. Neither of those are appropriate, but it does explain why there are so many mass shootings. You’re brainwashed by your movies and media to think that’s the next logical step.
Protest. ACTUAL protest. Not two No Kings parades in 11 months. Sustained pressure on the government is the way forward. Put down your guns and do what the rest of the world does.
Well, a lot of them would go to jail, they would be victims!
How many times has he demanded this now?
He’s got dementia. Give the guy a break.
:-)
I think he really does.
Yeah, it’ll have to be done eventually. I’m ok with this. I don’t trust his intentions, but the result of getting rid of it will be good for us in the long run, I think.
Keep the filibuster where someone is standing and talking the whole time. It shouldn’t have to be the same person.
10 years ago you’re absolutely correct.
Now? Just one less barrier for fascists to do their thing.
