Posted on 11/06/2025 5:04:29 AM PST by RandFan
Senate Republican support for eliminating the filibuster is picking up momentum after President Trump invited members of the Senate GOP conference to the White House for a breakfast meeting Wednesday to demand they reform the Senate’s rules in order to reopen the government.
Changing the Senate’s rules with a simple majority vote to eliminate the 60-vote threshold for advancing most legislation would be very controversial — so controversial that it’s called the “nuclear option” — but a growing number of Senate Republicans are calling for a review of the matter.
As of now, there aren’t 50 Republican senators who would vote to change the rules to reopen the government and speed the rest of Trump’s agenda through Congress, but Trump’s pressure campaign is having an effect.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), who was elected to the Senate last year and previously served four terms in the majority-run House, said he agrees with Trump.
“I do agree with him. I understand why he’s frustrated. The government shutdown is the Democrats’ fault, it’s unacceptable,” he said. “We have a short period window of time to do the things that we promised our voters that we would do. The filibuster is standing in the way of balanced budgets and cutting spending, on top of other things like passing vote ID laws.”
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told The Hill after meeting with Trump that he doesn’t want to terminate the filibuster but asserted “desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“This is not something I want to do but the Democrats are almost pushing us to do it. Obviously, the president calling this meeting [show] how large of a priority it is to him, as well.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Our GOP Senators are compromised, uniparty imposters.
Really informative thank you for taking the time to post that
I’m not saying do it but there are options it seems. They would have to be unified on this like a nomination and vote accordingly
It might come to this? Who knows.
Thune needs to play hardball. Don’t give the minority leader any more than the minimum required time to announce he is calling a vote so they don’t have time to prep Corey Booker or some other moron. Just tell her you are calling the vote and move into session as fast as the rules allow and make the Dems scramble.
The toothpaste will be out of the tube. Any future Democrat majority will be able to pass any budget they like. Remember how much Obamacare was "debated" before finally passing? Remember all those back-room deals that happened? Forget all of that--simple majority, Dems pass whatever they like.
Naive, the democrats spied on hundreds of republican politicians for political reasons, have broken laws and use lawfare in an attempt to falsely imprison Trump and his allies, falsely and without due process held J6 protestors in jail for all the Biden regime and used the FBI to create a riot and even attempted to plant a pipe bomb to blame conservatives. Now they are signaling their rabid base to assassinate conservatives.
We are past the Rubicon, you may not want this fight, but they are bringing it to you anyway.
Anyone who thinks republicans keeping the filibuster will make the democrats do the same thing when they are in power are completely clueless about what is happening in the world.
Not a single republican voted for Obama care and they literally cheated the process to get it passed. They would have removed the filibuster at that time if they had to.
There was no back room deal to avoid a filibuster back then; they just found a different way to cheat the senate vote.
Remember it was the democrats who removed the filibuster for judges, the toothpaste is already out of the tube, they will do it again anytime they need to regardless of what republicans do now.
Bad idea. Get rid of it and when the Dems take over, and they will, you’ll see 13 SCOTUS judges, statehood for DC and PR, and who knows what other garbage.
The words I haven’t heard uttered in years are “The Art of the Deal.’
Since Democrats are using healthcare as a cudgel against a CR, why not unveil an alternative plan NOW? That would change the dynamic and weaken the united Democrat resistance.
Not unprecedented. Was done for judicial appointments when the dems kept holding them up. That was just recently.
Once that Pandora’s Box is opened, it’d be damned hard to close it. Think about what the commies will do if they ever get back into power... DC would become a state, the Supreme Court would be stuffed, illegals will be given EVERYTHING. Nope. Bad idea.
This has nothing to do with that “fight”.
This isn’t a fight... you think the democrats don’t want the Filibuster gone? You are being very naive.
The change vote would only need 51 to pass.. but if either party wanted to end the filibuster and the other party opposed, they could filibuster the change... So you would never get to the actual vote needing only 51 votes to make the change.
So, you think ending the filibuster is something the democrats don’t want? You are being naive.
Power wants power, period.
this isn’t about a “fight” this is about cutting off ones nose to spite ones face.
The Uniparty, artificially creating this crisis, is another attempt to remove one more component of government designed to protect citizens.
The filibuster will be gone anyway when the Democrat (Socialists) regain a majority in the Senate.
That might be closer than we already think.
Actively work to repeal the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution, and return the selection of US Senators to the state legislatures. No more direct election of Senators. That is only an invitation to mobocracy.
And mobocracy serves nobody well.
A better idea is for Trump to veto any agreement that doesn’t have a balanced budget. Trump should actually play hardball with the Senate (he really hasn’t be tough on them in 5 years). His constitutional authority which is unchallengeable is to VETO all legislation that doesn’t fit his priorities. When they make some deal to open the government VETO it. Let’s see if the Senate is willing to play ball after 6 more weeks of no SNAP. This would be the last bull in a China shop move for Trump to do. I’m hoping he does it at least once before his time in politics is over.
Trump's point is that regardless of what the pubbies do during this cycle, the demonRATs have become so far left, that when they get back into a Senate majority, the first thing they do will be to kill the filibuster.
If our prudes, especially your Dr. Rand Paul, think that our playing be current rules will get today's demonRATs to do likewise is plain nuts.
The real problem is that there are too many of today's unicrats that don't want to be called names by the press, so they will surrender any common sense while knowing that once the demonRATs get in power in the senate, they will kill the filibuster.
Ball-less bastards.
First thing, change the laws on elections, then they can have a permanent majority if no more cheating/harvesting/mail-in can be done. No more gerrymandering.
Of course they want it, i never said they didn’t. try actually reading my post, what I said is they will do it if we don’t, they alreayd have done it once for judges.
Your post shows you did not actually read mine.
There is zero justification for not removing the filibuster if the only reason is to use it against the democrats when they are in power. They will remove it without hesitation. As I said these are the people locking up conservatives for political reasons and they just voted for a guy in Va who literally wants to murder his opponent children.
Start believing they are who they say they are.
The Democrats are right to be concerned about unaffordable PPACA healthcare cost coverage.
I would offer a trade of partial enhanced subsidy continuation for other PPACA reforms.
PARTIAL ENHANCED SUBSIDY CONTINUATION [to 2036]
Except as required by the Fair Share PPACA premium minimums below, the monthly to be paid on a plan would not exceed the Schumer formula amount by more than 1.5 times the household’s income in percentage terms of FPL exceeds 90% FPL in terms of dollars.
If the household’s income is 400% of FPL, the percentage difference is 310% and increase would typically be capped at $465/month.
If the household’s income is 300% of FPL, the percentage difference is 210% and increase would typically be capped at $315/month.
FAIR SHARE PPACA PREMIUM MINIMUMS
I would impose premium minimums of the higher of: 1. 1/65th of the Medicare Part B premium amount per insured year of age as of the start of coverage
2. one-tenth the percentage of the policy premium of the household income’s as a percentage of FPL.
For a 5-year-old, 7-year-old, 32-year-old and 34-year-old, the ages would sum to 88 and the monthly absolute minimum premium amount would be a (88/65)*$185 or $250.46.
For a 5-year-old kid and a 27-year-old mom the ages would sum to 32 and the monthly absolute minimum premium amount would be (32/65)*$185 or $91.07.
For the second minimum, a family whose income is 300% of FPL would have to pay at least 30% (one-tenth of 300%) of the cost of the policy.
[NOTE: About half the premium is to subsidize unhealthy people. Paying 30% is covering well over 60% of true risks of most insureds.]
Insurers could waive the minimums for up to 20% of their PPACA policy holders after the first month’s premium is paid provided $20 is paid upfront for a financial review fee. Waivers may not be granted in any space open to insureds (to prevent racial discrimination and threats). Insurers need not waive for the entire remaining term.
HOSPITAL COST REDUCTION [by 2028]
Break most hospitals into two highly competitive entities. Convert other hospitals into real estate leasing entities with competing surgical suites and nursing wings.
AFFORDABILITY
Silver plans would be limited to a maximum deductible of three times the Medicare Part A amount [2025: $1676]. A plan should be able to offer at least one maximum benefit premium cost reduction rider. The maximum benefit must not be less than twice the average operation payout of the insurer. The PPACA subsidy would be reduced in proportion to the premium reduction.
I would also make bronze plans low cost by having co-insurance up to $10,000 at up to 50% with the policy upfront amount paid up front to the insurance company by the insured. Co-insurance percentages would normally be 20% and based on the Medicare amounts unless contractually specified otherwise. Policy percentages might be less for certain things and contractually capped by time periods, by say 50% of the upfront amount the first three months of the calendar year, 60% the first six months of the calendar year, 70% the first eleven months of the calendar year and the whole amount the whole calendar year. The rising percentages are so policyholders are cost sensitive most of the policy term. If and how an upfront amount would get invested would be subject to contract. Unused amounts of upfront money would be refunded after each policy is closed out. A policy would not be closed out until the time allowed for claim submission and needed for claim processing under the policy has expired.
Bronze and silver plans would retain drug coverage.
I would also make copper plans low cost by only covering Part A scope items plus what Part B would pay for any general or regional anesthesia surgery. These would be like the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans of my youth.
The two-operation hospital coverage plan would cover an amount equal to twice the median Medicare DRG hospital amount plus a percentage of say 20% minimum on the Medicare amount for the first operation if the hospital agrees prior to 10 days after discharge to perform any needed second operation for the remaining amount left on the policy. A Blue Shield equivalent rider for the amounts Medicare pays for the surgeon(s) and anesthesiologist(s) might be purchased too.
My bronze, copper, and two-operation hospital coverage plans are meant for higher income folks and would not be PPACA subsidy eligible.
BINGO! Dems play down and dirty. Pubs can’t afford to play by the Queensbury rules.
Trump should veto any compromise. Put some real pressure on the Senate. They don’t bend on anything. Not blue slips, not filibuster, not tariffs if they need him. Pressure them!
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