{"id":2641592,"date":"2026-08-06T21:16:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-true-even-if-it-makes-you-wince-the-gop-establishment-is-right-about-the-filibuster\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T21:20:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:20:06","slug":"its-true-even-if-it-makes-you-wince-the-gop-establishment-is-right-about-the-filibuster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-true-even-if-it-makes-you-wince-the-gop-establishment-is-right-about-the-filibuster\/","title":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s True Even if It Makes You Wince: The GOP Establishment Is Right About the Filibuster"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fits-true-even-if-it-makes-you-wince-the-gop-establishment-is-right-about-the-filibuster%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2641592&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ray-epps-charged-with-misdemeanor-over-j6-capitol-protest\/\" title=\"Ray Epps faces misdemeanor charges for his involvement in the J6 Capitol protest.\">provided text appears<\/a> to be a webpage snippet containing a &#8220;Read more&#8221; button that reveals additional content upon clicking. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obsession-with-death-tucker-carlson-vince-coglianese-rip-into-democratic-partys-abortion-fetish\/\" title=\"\u2018Obsession With Death\u2019: Tucker Carlson, Vince Coglianese Rip Into Democratic Party\u2019s \u2018Abortion Fetish\u2019\">hidden content includes<\/a> a lengthy article discussing the U.S. Senate&#8217;s filibuster, legislative priorities, and political strategies. the author emphasizes that maintaining the filibuster is wise given current political dynamics,suggesting that eliminating it now woudl only facilitate Democratic legislative ambitions,such as the passage of the SAVE Act and broader reforms like court-packing.The article analyzes the likelihood of future filibuster changes based on Senate composition, warns against rushing to eliminate the filibuster for short-term gains, and proposes alternative strategies, such as modifying voting requirements to focus on ID verification rather than proof of citizenship. The piece also includes standard website elements like advertisement prompts, comment submission forms, and advertising opportunities. it advocates cautious legislative tactics and considers the political implications of reforming Senate rules.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Most of the time my lips move, I am either ordering my entree or saying something snarky about establishment Republicans. I hate to admit it, but the establishmentarians are right about declining to eliminate the filibuster.<\/p>\n<p>A straightforward cost-benefit\/risk-reward analysis supports their position, even if one gives full consideration to the repeated schoolyard refrain of \u201cIf we don\u2019t do it the Democrats will.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As an initial matter, when you factor in the unreliability of the Spite Caucus (Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and John Cornyn of Texas), the Hard-to-Get Girls Caucus (Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine) and the Sun Setters Caucus (including Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky), there are few longstanding filibuster-thwarted GOP priorities that can be turned into legislation, especially at this late date in the session.<\/p>\n<p>If the filibuster was going to be eliminated, it should have been done in January 2025, when various items could have been considered for legislation. Now, it is just about the SAVE Act, which may lack the necessary votes in the Senate, irrespective of the filibuster.<\/p>\n<p>Even if we had eliminated the filibuster back in 2025, perhaps the most cherished, if elusive, GOP legislative priority \u2014 immigration reform to scale back asylum, end chain migration, and reprioritize groups eligible for legal entry \u2014 would have been difficult to achieve, given the thin majority in the House.<\/p>\n<p>GOP Representatives like Anna Paulina Luna and Maria Salazar of Florida and Mike Lawler of New York, who seemingly carry little calendars in which they check off the days before it is time to introduce yet another amnesty plan, would have sabotaged the realization of the holy grail of restrictive immigration reform.<\/p>\n<p>But what about the argument that the Democrats are going to eliminate the filibuster anyway, so we might as well get in our own legislative licks while we can?<\/p>\n<p>If the GOP were to eliminate the filibuster today, it might be able to pass the SAVE Act, but little else. By contrast, without the filibuster, the next Democrat administration with congressional majorities will be in a position to pass a transformational legislative apocalypse that would merely start with court-packing and new states.<\/p>\n<p>If the chances of a Democrat Senate ending the filibuster were 100 percent, it might be logical to take the table scraps represented by the SAVE Act in exchange for the apocalypse. Those chances, however, are not certain.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, the since-departed Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia were the only Democratic senators clearly opposed to ending the filibuster, although others were being coy and unclear, so long as Sinema and Manchin were making it unnecessary for them to take a position.<\/p>\n<p>In 2029, if the Democrats have about 53 senators, the chances of them ending the filibuster are very strong, but what if they have between 50 and 52, which might be the most likely scenario?<\/p>\n<p>There are currently nine Democratic senators representing states that voted for Trump in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>There are two more Democratic senators from New Hampshire, which is GOP-controlled at the state level.<\/p>\n<p>It is maddening that all of these 11 essentially vote a straight Democratic line, while the flip side of the coin, Susan Collins, the only GOP senator from a state that voted for Harris, frequently goes against the GOP on foundational matters like the Big Beautiful Bill and the Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court confirmation.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, at least a few of the 11 Democrats referenced above would be leery about how opening the door to the most extreme and transformational items on the Democrat agenda would play at home.<\/p>\n<p>In short, there would be a decent shot of breaking off the necessary Democrats to preserve the filibuster if the majority is very narrow.<\/p>\n<p>If the GOP ends the filibuster now, it will have done the Democrats\u2019 heavy lifting for them, and the filibuster will not exist in a Senate with 50-52 Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>Is the SAVE Act, by itself, really worth it, when ending the filibuster to get it would mean relieving the Democrats of eliminating the filibuster, which they might not otherwise be able to do with a narrow majority?<\/p>\n<p>Even if there were only a 25 percent chance of stopping the Democrats from ending the filibuster, shelving the SAVE Act would be worth it to give the GOP a fighting chance to fight off the legislative apocalypse.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the GOP has the alternative of scaling back the SAVE Act to eliminate proof of citizenship and just require ID to vote or register.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the Democrats\u2019 arguments against the SAVE Act have focused on proof of citizenship. The GOP should put them in the awkward position of voting against a simple ID requirement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><i><b>The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either d or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/submitop-ed\/\">here<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most of the time, my lips move as I order or make snarky remarks about establishment Republicans. I reluctantly agree that they are correct in opposing the elimination of the filibuster. A clear cost-benefit analysis justifies their stance, even when considering the common refrain that Democrats will do it anyway<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2641593,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Filibuster-caution.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[10130,6203,5894],"class_list":["post-2641592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-filibuster","tag-gop","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Filibuster-caution.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2641592"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641592\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2641596,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2641592\/revisions\/2641596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2641593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2641592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2641592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2641592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}