President Donald Trump called for Senate Republicans to nuke the filibuster — a move that congressional leadership has said is not an option thus far.
The shutdown is now stretching into its second month, with Democrats so far making good on their vow to vote down the GOP funding bill to reopen the government unless Republicans negotiate on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year.
“Because of the fact that the democrats have gone stone cold ‘crazy,’ the choice is clear — initiate the ‘nuclear option,’ get rid of the filibuster and, make America great again,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday night.
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The filibuster rule provides that most legislation can’t be brought up for a vote without the support of 60 senators, a powerful check on the majority party. It’s what makes the Senate fundamentally different from the House, and is one of the few leverage points Democrats have in a government that is otherwise dominated by Republicans.
Some Republicans have called for ending the filibuster, particularly around the short-term funding bill to re-open the government, since the shutdown began nearly a month ago. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune has so far ruled it out, calling it a “bad idea.”
“Is it possible? Yes. … Is it wise? A lot of people would tell you it’s not,” Thune told reporters in early October. “I mean, on the Republican side, I would be deeply concerned if the Democrats had a bare majority in the Senate right now.”
Some Senate Republicans have openly called for Thune to override Senate rules to fund the government. Senate Democrats have blocked the Republican continuing resolution over a dozen times — and Thune needs at least five more of them to support that bill to get the government open.
“I don’t support getting rid of the filibuster. But eventually, if we can’t get anything done, that’s what they’re gonna force,” Sen. Rick Scott said of Democrats earlier this month.
There has even been pressure from members of the House. But many others have been more hesitant, citing the same problem that Thune raised: What goes around comes around.
“No, hard no. Absolutely not,” Sen. James Lankford told reporters. “Because we should not break cloture rules of the filibuster, period.”
Ultimately, overriding Senate rules would require a majority vote from the Senate GOP, and it’s far from clear that the support to change the rule exists.
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