As it stands today, America is in the midst of the second-longest shutdown of the United States Federal Government in its history. This stoppage of government operations weakens Americans, who have come to rely on it due to previous policies and a system that has fostered a mindset of reliance on the government to survive. Federal government workers have been furloughed, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) funds have been suspended, and ACA (Affordable Care Act) premiums have increased significantly.
All of this comes as a result of a stalemate between the Republican majoirty of the United States Senate and the Senate Democratic Conference (joined by Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul), who refused to vote for a clean continuing resolution to fund the government due to refusing to take out provisions that would repeal special Obamacare subsidies for non-citizens and ensure illegal migrants would not receive any government funding for healthcare, as the Congressional Budget Office found was happening under the Biden Administration.
Now, President Donald Trump has had enough. On October 30th, the President stated on Truth Social, "It is now time for the Republicans to play their 'TRUMP CARD,' and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!"
In an unprecedented move, President Trump called for the abolition of the Filibuster — a threshold of sixty votes required to pass legislation, such as the clean continuing resolution to fund the government, in the Senate. Abolishing this provision would reduce the required vote count to a simple majority of 51 "Yes" votes, instead of the current two-thirds majority.
This move may shock many conservatives, upholders of tradition, and cause the "whataboutism" members of the Republican Party to clutch their pearls and ask, "What if they do the same thing to us, or use the abolishment of the Filibuster to get what they want when they get power?"
The answer to that is simple: The left always planned to do that anyway.
Now, sure. As conservatives, we have always valued Senatorial tradition when it comes to the operations of the leading chamber of the legislative branch. However, the Filibuster is no longer solely a Senatorial tradition meant to be protected. It has devolved into a tool for leftist gridlock that has halted the governance of the MAGA movement, the conservative control of the three branches of government, and President Trump's agenda that he was elected to implement.
The Filibuster has been chipping away at conservative values and accomplishments for a long time. In 2017, Majority Leader Harry Reid utilized an expansion of the provision to prevent Trump from getting his preferred nominees. Reid continued to use it against him throughout Trump's first term, primarily as a stopgap measure to rule in favor of the minority.
The minority ruling was not what the founders intended for our nation in terms of congressional rule. In Federalist No. 22, Alexander Hamilton argues about the dangers of unequal state votes and sets the ground for originalism when it comes to opposing minority rule.
Our constitutional Republic allows the public to be represented in many areas. However, within the Senate conference, fifty-one votes should be the requirement for a piece of legislation to be passed. The current sixty-vote threshold for the Filibuster prevents conservative governance and prioritization.
Republicans need to learn the first rule about leftism: they do not care about previous precedent, and they do not follow the rules. We have no obligation to act more professionally, politely, cordially, or respectfully towards the other side, given that they consistently disregard decorum.
The very moment, whenever that may come, that the Democrats and the communists who have taken it over seize power, they will abolish the Filibuster to enact legislation to pack the Supreme Court, advocate for Washington D.C.'s statehood, and hold the Republican Party hostage for good.
The conservative gains that the GOP now has access to accomplish can happen through abolishing the sixty-vote threshold. Further deportations and the funding of ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement), as well as economic provisions to support fair trade deals, can be facilitated. At the same time, Republicans have control of both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. Congress can pass monumental pieces of legislation in 2025, 2026, and beyond if this measure is eradicated, because the elimination is already underway, regardless of whether Democrats are in power.
Conservative governance needs to thrive through efficacy, and that is not possible with the Filibuster in place, preventing its implementation. MAGA deserves its mandate, and President Trump merits his members to pass legislation that will put America First.
If Democrats are willing to allow the government to shut down, their next step will be eliminating the Filibuster the next time they are in office. Before that happens, let us be the first to the punch to fight back and Make America Great Again.
