Ending the Filibuster

The United States Constitution requires only a simple majority to pass a bill in the Senate. However, the Senate's self-imposed filibuster rule creates an additional and completely unnecessary barrier by allowing 41 senators to block most legislation from progressing to the floor for a full vote.

The filibuster is the single largest reason that Congress can't get anything done. It was contrived to empower the Senate minority party, often against the wishes of voters. It undermines the governmental design of our Founding Fathers. The filibuster is now used as a political tactic to paralyze legislative action.

Eliminating the filibuster would not prevent debate, but it would ensure that decisions can be made in a timely manner after effective discussion and debate.

History of the Filibuster

Under the byzantine rules of the U.S. Senate, a speaking filibuster allows unlimited debate. This can result in a minority body controlling the floor as long as they sustain debate.

Cloture is the mechanism to stop the debate, originally requiring two-thirds of the Senate to vote to end debate. This inordinately high requirement was dropped to a 60-vote Cloture Rule in 1975. Yet as it stands, it still allows a minority party to prevent bills from reaching the Senate floor.

The "nuclear options" of 2013 and 2017 changed requirements for executive, lower court and Supreme Court nominees by eliminating a 60-vote requirement to approve nominees.

Now only legislation requires 60 votes to end debate.The United States today is the only Western nation that allows a minority party to block legislation favored by the majority.

The Democrat plan

Over the last 127 years, the filibuster has been used as a tool by democrats to ratchet into place the progressive state as we know it today.

The filibuster eventually will be eliminated. Democrats now have clearly stated their intent to do away with the 60-vote Cloture Rule when they achieve a majority in the Senate.

The Republican opportunity

The filibuster is arguably unconstitutional, as it treats 40 minority votes as equivalent to the majority of 60 votes. It prevents vice presidents from casting tie-breaking votes.

Republicans have a narrow window of opportunity to eliminate the 60-vote Cloture Rule at this time, before Democrats do so anyway.

The filibuster may be a viable tool in an idealistic country where different factions can work closely together, but not in today's hostile political environment where it is used to subvert the will of the majority.

Conservatives should act to end the filibuster now while they have power in the Senate, the House, and the White House.

Majority Rule Built This Republic - The Filibuster Is Unraveling It, by Congressman Andy Biggs, Townhall, 13 December 2025.

Trump Is Right. Senate Republicans Should End The Filibuster Before It’s Too Late, by Justin Haskins, The Federalist, 17 November 2025.

Filibuster - Republicans weigh scrapping the filibuster, arguing Democrats will kill it anyway - so why not use it now to save the country, then restore it when politics cools down? by Daniel Oliver, American Greatness, 19 May 2025.

Who Will Benefit Long-Term from Ending the Filibuster? - Eliminating the Senate procedure could be a key step in dismantling the progressive administrative state. by James Anthony, American Greatness, 26 June 2025.