Senate GOP chatter rises on filibuster reform to end shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

10/22/25 6:00 AM ET


Senate Republicans are increasingly chattering about changing the filibuster’s rules if Democrats do not end the shutdown, even though Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) says he opposes weakening a tool safeguarding the minority’s power. Initially, there was no discussion about filibuster reform when it came to the shutdown, but the idea is getting more attention in Republican circles as the stalemate drags on.

Even Republicans who have in the past have voiced staunch support for preserving the filibuster say that creating a carve-out to the 60-vote threshold to reopen the government is getting more talk.

“Nobody talked about filibuster two weeks ago. Now that we see that the Democrats are just not going to agree to anything, then that’s probably a viable option,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said. “I don’t know the answer to this. I don’t think anybody does, because they’re not going to give; we’re not going to give. So it’s going to be a stalemate, and the loser is going to be the American people,” he said.

Tuberville advocated for preserving the filibuster after Republicans won control of the Senate in last year’s election. “No. No. No. We need to keep the filibuster,” Tuberville told NBC News in November.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5566292-senate-republicans-filibuster-reform/

---

They do this ( "go nuclear" and completely eliminate the filibuster), then they OWN the healthcare meltdown. Their whole raison d'etre has been to "blame the libs" for everything.

[pandr32]

1. This will destroy any balance.

Democrats will be rendered powerless.

[Nigrum Cattus]

12. Dems are already "powerless"

Therefore, go balls to the wall.
Paybacks are MFer's
Also, bottom line, it's not up to the Dems
Everyone who isn't a repug will then realize they hate America

[pandr32]

20. In many ways, yes.

This is the line we must not cross, though. This is where we still have a role with leverage. We must defend the ACA subsidies. If we cave in we have lost any chance to seat our Representatives and check MAGA power.
Mike Johnson can swear in our rep or we will have to find a workaround, but she needs to be officially sworn in.

[JT45242]

19. We were powerless in the majority because of the filibuster

Using the filibuster for everything has almost zero precedent before Moscow Mitch.

Requiring a supermajority for all votes makes it impossible for government to function. Period.

The federalist papers go in depth as to why only certain votes should require a supermajority to prevent the problems they were trying to fix from the articles of confederation.

Had democrats used historical precedent to force people to stay talking on the floor to filibuster, then the Biden administration would have accomplished more and mango Mussolini would be behind bars.

[pandr32]

21. The Biden Administration accomplished a huge amount.

Look it up and read the list of accomplishments. It was only 4 years.

[JT45242]

25. My point was that it should have been more if not for allowing the filibuster to kill other great ideas and programs

And yes to Obama too -- we have allowed Moscow Mitch to block everything for years and then were blamed as "do nothing democrats".

The filibuster as it currently exists is a tool for the confederate states to rebel in plain sight

[GregariousGroundhog]

22. The Obama administration too. Without the fillibuster, we would have had a public health insurance option

Putting a public option on the new marketplace to compete among the large private insurers was in the original draft of the Affordable Care Act but the Senate dropped a number of provisions to appease a number of centrists democrats. For example Joe Lieberman opposed the public option and Ben Nelson opposed requiring abortion coverage.

[maxsolomon]

2. I thought the rules were set at the beginning of each Congress.

If you're going Nuclear, that's when you do it. Not now.

Tuberville is an idiot.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. They normally set Rules at the beginning of each Congressional session

(and assign Committee Chairs or Ranking Members, etc). However they can bring up a Resolution to change a Rule at any time and it only needs a majority vote to implement.

[Fiendish Thingy]

11. No, you misunderstand

“Going nuclear” means changing the rules outside of the normal protocol of “only at the beginning of each congress”.

[maxsolomon]

14. I stand corrected

Eventually, the Filibuster is going away. The GOP doesn't even plan to be in the minority again.

Tuberville is still an idiot.

[Rebl2]

3. They get

their way changing the filibuster rule, they will totally own the health insurance mess.

[JBTaurus83]

4. Go for it

We already are powerless. They will own everything that happens. Why on earth would we ever sign on to these shitty deals? When healthcare is through the roof, everyone will know who to blame.

[Lovie777]

5. Nope..............

[bronxiteforever]

9. I thought the GOP can rescind any agreement

on the insurance subsidies because Obamacare is not a mandatory program like Medicare and social security? I am not 100% sure of this but I believe the GOP can do this.So we could agree and then a rescinding budget happens. Questions about rescissions would then get kicked to the Supreme Joke and we know how they will rule with Robert’s belief in superior executive authority.

[cstanleytech]

6. I hope they remember that the shoe will eventually be on the other foot.

[chicoescuela]

7. you're optimistic.

[Fiendish Thingy]

10. DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!

Do it, kill the filibuster dead, Dead, DEAD.

Millions will see healthcare premiums skyrocket.

Republicans will incur the wrath of the voters, Dems will win big in the midterms despite gerrymandering.

And then, once Dems have the trifecta in 2029, we will expand the court and Ram through bill after bill improving the lives and protecting the rights of Americans with no gridlock or judicial obstruction to stop us.

DO IT!!!

[msongs]

13. MAGAts on FB haave no clue what is the nuclear options. when they tell

me repubs need dems votes I point to the the nuclear option and that shuts them up

[mdbl]

15. WTF is the difference any more? They have destroyed our system already

and they don't seem to give a shit. Seems they end up doing this almost every time they are in power and want to override the minority.

[Renew Deal]

16. They should do it.

They won't be in power forever and the filibuster is bad for the country. It ensures that very little of consequence gets done.

[Orrex]

17. Nice to see them taking Fetterman's advice

I guess.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. He actually ran here in PA on being "the 51st vote" to codify reproduction rights

meaning to do a carve-out of the cloture (filibuster) Rule to pass that. That carve-out effort was thwarted by Manchin and Sinema.

[Jose Garcia]

23. I don't that they they will completely get rid of the filibuster this time.

They may just make another exception, like they did for Supreme Court nomination. Or like Democrats did for executive nominees and non-SCOTUS judicial nominees.

[Prairie Gates]

24. MAKE. THEM. DO. IT.

[bucolic_frolic]

26. Never a doubt.

My way or the highway in everything they do. If voters don't like it, they'll disregard elections or eliminate them altogether.