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.

  • FauxLiving@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    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.

  • santa@sh.itjust.works
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    9 hours ago

    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.

    • Typhoon@lemmy.ca
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      9 hours ago

      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.

        • Miles O'Brien@startrek.website
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          6 hours ago

          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.

  • wagesj45@fedia.io
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    9 hours ago

    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.

    • Serinus@lemmy.world
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      6 hours ago

      Keep the filibuster where someone is standing and talking the whole time. It shouldn’t have to be the same person.