>>The GOP can shut the Senate down
>> >>How, exactly?
The House can refuse to sign any funding bills, and shut the government down. Refuse to raise the debt limit, refuse to pass any funding measures, refuse to pass any fiscal cliff resolutions . . . until there is a reassurance NOW that there will be NO changes to effect minority filibuster rights the House must cut off the funding spigot which supports the Senate.
The filibuster is not in the Constitution. It is strictly a tradition of the Senate.
There is nothing similar in the House and the country has nevertheless survived.