Senate Republicans are currently debating whether to use a “talking filibuster” to pass the SAVE America Act. But while some in the GOP are worried about preserving the Senate’s long-standing rule requiring 60 votes to pass most legislation, Democrats have already signed its death warrant.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has now been shut down for more than five weeks, leading to excruciatingly long TSA lines at major airports and tens of thousands of federal workers going without pay. Democrats forced the shutdown back in February by using the filibuster. They threatened to shut down the entire government to block funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because they oppose the Trump administration’s enforcement of immigration law.
To avert a government-wide shutdown, Republicans sliced off DHS funding, and Democrats provided the necessary votes to fund the rest of the government. Since then, Democrats have refused to budge on any deal that includes one penny for ICE. The shutdown is causing massive headaches for Americans – and is imperiling national security to boot – but Democrats are downright giddy about it.
The mainstream media has entirely missed what a seismic moment this is in American politics. There have been whole or partial government shutdowns due to the minority party using the filibuster before, but this is something different entirely.
Democrats are effectively weaponizing the filibuster to exercise a legislative veto over the executive branch enforcing the law in a manner that a majority of the American public voted for just 16 months ago. This is a new precedent that has opened the door to mass chaos in the future.
Imagine if Senate Republicans had employed this strategy during the Biden years. The GOP could have simply picked any Democrat agency they didn’t like – say, the FBI for targeting conservatives and Christians – and used the filibuster to block funding until the Biden administration and congressional Democrats agreed to policy changes in writing. In that case, this underhanded strategy actually would have been morally justified. But one can only imagine the media outrage about “norms” and “democratic accountability.”
Ask yourself this: If a party that can’t win at the ballot box is able to take an entire government agency hostage to try to force the executive branch to not enforce immigration law, do we still live in a democracy?
But rest assured, that tension will resolve itself the next time Democrats have unified control in Washington. The moment Republicans try to pull the same stunt – as they would now be more than justified in doing – the filibuster will be abolished completely and for good.
This is Democrats’ long-term play with their DHS shutdown gambit. They have created an unsustainable new status quo that will eventually lead to one party getting rid of the filibuster.
Republicans are mistaken if they believe that showing restraint now will make any difference to Democrats later on. The filibuster itself is not an untouchable institution. The current “silent filibuster” – where any senator can block most legislation indefinitely unless 60 senators vote to move forward on it – only emerged in the 1970s. Before that, senators had to physically hold the floor and speak if they wanted to block a bill. That was known as the “talking filibuster” – what most Senate Republicans want to use now to pass the SAVE America Act.
The silent filibuster has survived this long because both parties have exercised some degree of restraint in how they use it. While it has led to an infuriating amount of gridlock, major funding bills have usually passed – a pattern that Democrats have upended starting with Trump’s first term (the 2018 shutdown was also a result of liberal opposition to Trump protecting America’s borders).
The filibuster is the product of a more genteel age that is now long gone. Accordingly, its days are numbered – it’s just a question of which party pulls the lever first. In 2022, it was only the opposition of moderate Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona that prevented Democrats from abolishing the filibuster, and both are now retired. It is difficult to envision any current Senate Democrat opposing a push to abolish the filibuster, a change which would only require 51 votes.
As things stand, Democrats don’t really care which party delivers the final blow because they believe that they will benefit regardless.
Republicans want to institute a talking filibuster to pass election integrity legislation that will prevent noncitizens from voting – a good and absolutely necessary bill, to be sure. But the moment Democrats take power in a Congress without a filibuster, they will reverse that law and go further by banning Voter ID nationwide and mandating that states distribute universal mail-in ballots and allow ballot harvesting. Then, they will hike the minimum wage, add Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico as states (thus cementing four new Democrat senators and likely a permanent majority) and pack the Supreme Court with new liberal judges – and that’s just a start.
There is no question which agenda would be more consequential for the country.
So, what are Republicans to do?
Using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act would be a good start. But perhaps even more important than that is keeping control of the House and Senate this November and then taking a long, hard look at what policies they could potentially pass without a silent filibuster. Republicans should be sober-minded and clear-eyed about what Democrats intend to do if they win back the Senate, and act now to preempt the damage their agenda would do to the country, along with passing conservative policies that Senate Democrats have long blocked.
Perhaps Democrats’ better angels will win out even if they do win back the Senate and they will respect the rights of the minority party. But if the last decade is any indication, that’s anything but a sure bet.
Shane Harris is the Editor-in-Chief of AMAC Newsline. You can follow him on X @shaneharris513.
Sometimes it seems like the democrat party should be labeled a seditious organization. They consistently work against the law of the land and the will of the people.
What worries me is that even though the radical liberals in Congress are causing ALL of the pain and chaos in this country, is that they have enough people on their side to win in the upcoming elections…at all levels. If these Communists get back in power, our country as we know and love will be toast!! We need to make sure to get out to vote in EVERY election in the next 2 years!! And we need to pray every day for our country.
I honestly don’t understand how Democrats can live with themselves when they won’t pass the SAVE Act which 80% of the American people want. I makes it clear that they only work for themselves and their pocketbooks and not the people that they are supposed to represent!
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their, parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy over two thousand years ago.
How anyone IN THEIR RIGHT MIND could vote for a Democrat is beyond me!!!!
The democrats don’t care about ICE agents or TSA agents or the victims that have been killed by the illegals in this country. Pritzker puts the blame on President Trump
for calling it a tragedy and that Trump should stop that. Nothing to see in Chicago. Only a beautiful girl being killed by an illegal. But that is okay with the democrats. ICE is there to pick up these criminals but Pritzker and mayor Johnson both don’t care about this girl being killed. After all it was an American citizen and they don’t care about the citizens of America because they don’t live in America. The Congressional action with the DHS funding and opposition to paying law enforcement agents, is a scandal on the scale of overthrowing the government. They already have eliminated the local police forces by defunding the police. Now they want to defund even eliminate the federal police. So that Iran and China can overrun our country and raise the communist flag. I live in an independent living facility and saw one resident walking around with a No Ice button. Really that is how far they have gotten. Brainwashing the elderly especially the ones with a bit of dementia. They are easy to brainwash. This same person talks about President Trump like she knows him intimately and just knows he is stupid, totally incapable of running this country. While we had for the 4 years when Autopen Biden was in the White House a president that had to be cranked up to give a speech and still couldn’t pronounce the words in the speech and then didn’t know where to exit the stage. We saw it every day. Last I heard he was still wandering in the jungle in South America. Dr Jill was running the country? With the deep state? We all know that to be the truth. And all these people let in 20 million illegals who are now killing and have been killing our citizens including women and children. Cartels are forming to attack from within. But let’s put on a button that says No Ice. That way the illegal criminals can kill us. Including the ones driving the big rigs on our highways. It’s a concerted plan to eliminate American citizens. They won’t pass the save act. They don’t want legal elections. They want fraud in order to win. They found out in 2024 the democrats were done and still today they don’t see it. Because they don’t want to cooperate with the republicans for they hate America. They want totaL power now and forever. And if America is destroyed in the process so be it. They hate America. And brainwash the people that it is Trump you should hate and fear. No it’s the dems that are destroying this country.
I saw a young boy crying and carrying on in the grocery store yesterday and not even his parents could understand why he was fussing. Democrats are like that. Why would anyone want to protect illegal aliens who have been convicted of a crime from being expelled from the country? Why would anyone want to allow wannabe women with XY chromosomes to participate in girls’ and women’s sports? Why would anyone want to shut down our airports and inconveniencing millions of Americans, in order to keep protecting illegal aliens? Why would anyone want to switch from fossil fuel production of energy if it means depending upon our enemies (aka China) for batteries, solar panels and rare earth minerals? Why would anyone consider Upchuck Schumer to be a rational human being as opposed to a power hungry political hack? I guess I suffer from a disease which Democrats rarely seem to suffer from: common sense.
CHUCKLES SHUMER IS A HYPICRIT ASSWIPE
It’s time for the Republicans to get down and dirty in the sandbox and stop worrying about political correctness! Because it gets you nowhere.
The Democrats destroy everything they touch! Every decision they have ever made is a bad decision, everything they have ever done is a massive disaster. And then they spend the rest of the time trying to blame it on Donald Trump. What are they going to do when Donald Trump dies go out of business? We can only hope
The most dangerous America-LAST Illegals-FIRST people are the Democrat voters. They are fully responsible for the tens of millions of illegals swarming into this country. They ALSO have the INNOCENT BLOOD ON THEIR FILTHY HANDS and are solely responsible for the thousands of murders, rapes, child molestings, human trafficking, arsonists, drug deaths, crime infested sanctuary cities and States, and EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS BROUGHT DEATH, DESTRUCTION, MILLIONS OF LOST JOBS, TENFOLD INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS, MISERY, SUFFERING, PAIN AND SORROW, AND MASSIVE TAX INCREASES TO PAY FOR ALL THE FREE BENEFITS THESE DEMONS FROM HELL RECEIVE.
Yes DemoRAT politicians are certainly dangerous evil SCUM, but it’s the damn, sadistic DAMNOCRAP VOTERS who continue elect these evil bastards over and over and over and over and over again..
BOTH OF THESE SADISTIC GROUPS OF PURE EVIL ARE AMERICA’S VILE ENEMIES WITHI!!!!!!!..
Republican Representatives and Senators need to come to grips with the fact that the current Democrat party (I will give exception to Senator Fetterman) has lost any kind of moral compass and care nothing for the American citizens. They are the party of Lawlessness and have no qualms about making 90% of our citizens suffer hardship in any and every form.
Look at what they are using for leverage on bills they balk at – remove Federal Immigration Law Inforcement (ICE), no proof of citizenship to vote, for sanctuary states, cities and counties to shield and protect law breaking illegals/criminals. In every one of their “platforms” there is an obvious pattern of favoring lawlessness, open borders to any foreign criminal or terrorist.
They have relied on those people to cast votes'(illegally) to win elections. Who else would vote for a corrupt politician than a criminally-minded, lawless individual. God help us. We must continue to pray for His mercy.
Democrats – The party of dirty tricks.
Sadly, not enough real voters understand this. The majority of three generations of voters don’t… They don’t care what happens, as long as their party continues to make waves and push for social things for them. I’m ashamed of the republicans who continue to hate President Trump so much they will deny our country stable, sane, legitimate rulings. I pity them, but am angry to my core that their state voters keep putting them back into office. We need to pray hard about this because typically the mid-terms don’t go well for the party in office and particularly since the Iran situation which is TOTALLY RIGHT! is disrupting pocketbooks.
Dem Outcomes
Lose votes due to TSA lines from those in lines
Revolt within DNC ranks
No change
Rerun more shutdown
The evidence of Pre-Trump, Biden’s presidency, and the CURRENT FACADE by Democrats (all rote, in lock step, lead by the nose, and hiding money illegally gained; illustrates the fallacy of honesty, their intent, and the combination of lies, falsehoods, and use of money to cause disruption in the country (obviously they do not care!). They lack all honesty, and have become criminal through lies, made up so-called evidence, fabricated and so proven>, and the lack of limit of their criminality – all to be reelected to serve their masters, to make piles of money, and to not care a wit about the American people. Listening to the D. Speakers of the House and Senate (most Americans do not any longer), go ahead, check through simple research, seeking truth, etc., Americans of both parties are extremely angry, and regardless of what they (Ds’) say, they must be done!, voted out, investigated for crimes, chastized, and go away! The political party system is useless and must disappear; new, strict rules must be imposed. The American citizens need to be involved in this decision-making.
Seems interference in law, lies about illegals, excuses, clandestine and low-life subterfuge, along with false and fabricated numerous other violations are enforceable violations and therefore, do it, Attorney General, evidence/trial, and a Judge, who if they are found guilty, will impose the letter of the law – Americans in the millions will be thankful and hope they are in prison.
Fox News stop highlighting the democrats, tell their twisted and sick story in short form, and ignore the sick *&^%*(^&%$#@##.
Push an amendment to the Constitution to enshrine the filibuster in it with perhaps at a 55 vote threshold. Still some protection from the tyranny of the majority and the ability to keep the country from yo-yo ing back and forth depending on the party elected.
Democrats will very soon regret doing a lot of things that they have done. God is going to remove many of them from this life and they will be replaced with people who are sane.
The irrational outright hatred of Trump has so thoroughly infiltrated Democrat party politics that it completely blankets reasonable dialogue- negotiated solutions such as we enjoyed in the past have become impossible.
Only a long period out of power in DC will offer Democrats the chance to expunge the idiots dominating them and return some people with a positive view of our wonderful country.
This country is doomed when the democrats regain power.
We are lost to Satan, aka, DAMNEDOCRATS!!
Why don’t regrow a pair since they have the majority and terminate the filibuster, and pass the MAGA LEGISLATION NOW.
I cannot understand some in the republican party, that allow themselves to be duped by this democrat party.Why can we not hurry this up, make the dims stand for hours telling their voters why they will not fund DHS? The republicans almost always want to take the high road, at the expense of we the people. I think the dims have crossed a line into the treason territory, just a thought.
Calls and letters, emails and personal visits by their constituents. That would be the most likely source of complaints that they would listen to. Anybody got an idea’s on how to go about getting this done?, I am an old Man, just really concerned about my COUNTRY.
Certain Republicans need to grow a spine and push back against the Democrats. Once the election corruption in Fulton County and Maricopa County are exposed, Americans will see just how corrupt our elections are.
Many sitting Representatives and Senators have been given their seats due to election shenanigans. Many in both parties know they will never be elected again if the Save America Act passes. Even Jimmy Carter knew that mail-in ballots are a major source of election corruption.
What can we do? It’s simple. We need to flood WDC with phone calls and emails and let the Senators know this is an 85% issue for both Rs and Ds. We The People demand that the Save America Act must pass to assure election integrity. It can be no other way.
Anyone who doesn’t think the DIMMs will kill the filibuster if/when they gain control is an IDIOT. It’s another case of us playing by the “rules” while the DIMMs go for the throat!
If YOU are a DemocRATic voter… look at YOUR HANDS… like Lady MacBeth, that “Damn spot” is BLOOD. In this case AMERICAN BLOOD. Every American killed by an illegal, the death of every American police officer or government official who dies in the line of duty… their BLOOD is on your hands. Not to mention all the hurt and sacrifices of the families of these people who protect our once great republic.
Not funding an ongoing govt. agency should be unauthorized. If Congress can’t agree on new funding, then the current funding is automatically continued at current budget.
Yep, we MUST have a SCORCHED EARTH policy in place to win House/Senate in NOVEMBER. Losing is not an option, cuz Dems are now out of the closet as Communists, and they know that ‘we know’ that. Hence, IF THEY EVER gain back control of US, they will be out for OUR blood, mine and yours….NOT just Trump and his associates, but ALL of US.
So GIVE all you can FOR NOVEMBER: your money, your time. Dont let up, don’t be discouraged. Fight Fight Fight to the WIN.
I can’t believe that a) the Republicans would play into ANY Democrat tactic that would only add to their power, and b) the American People have allowed the Democrats to hold the ENTIRE Country hostage over something that should have been passed 39 days ago. It’s shameful that they’re getting away with it! I wrote my Senator Schumer.) Why hasn’t everybody written THEIR Democratic Senator?
The filibuster has outlived its usefulness. The reason nothing gets done in congress is because of this antiquated policy. The people elect the president and give them a congress to either work with or against them. This is the choice of the people. Politicians do not always represent their constituents because of procedural rules. More could be achieved if a simple majority determined laws and regulations. Less pork as well because politicians would not have to be bribed for a supporting vote. Save the 60 votes for overturning a vetos only.
I do not understand how anyone could be a Demon-rat?? How can they be so mean to our country? Why don’t they want our country back on track and peaceful??
The Democrats are just plain evil. We need somehow to pass legislation that states No Pay for members of Congress while there is a shutdown. They need to feel exactly what they expect hard working Citizens to feel. Even though they most likely will not suffer in the same way, their pay should not continue while they punish others. The only sane Democrat seems to be Senator Fetterman, who actually appears to have a brain and the understanding of what the rest of his Party is doing to its’ Voters who can no longer afford to even go to work because they cannot afford to operate their own vehicle.
I don’t believe that ever in my lifetime there has been a group as despicable as the current Democrats. They are dangerous because they are greedy, stupid, short-sighted and arrogant. They will do anything for power and when they have it, they use it to destroy.Moreover, they are liars to their constituents, 80% of whom do NOT want what their reps and senators are doing and voting for. There is no better hypocrite than Chuck Schumer who has twisted his beliefs around to the point of actual treachery. And his words are all on tape proving that he is blatantly a liar and a hypocrite. We will have no country left should Democrats take over and include senators from D.C and Puerto Rico along with strangling SCOTUS…Just look at what has happened to California, Illinois and now, even NY — disasters all, due to their longtime Democrat stronghold on their state’s government. Very frightening and even more so, very frustrating. WE won’t have a country if we can’t hold it. WE must go BIG on the offensive. Do Republicans have the cojones to be on the offensive, no matter what?
It’s amazing to see the majority or entirety of Democrats voting and supporting breaking the law and violating the Constitution. It was illegal to open the Border but they did it anyway and no one goes to jail and nothing bad happens to those breaking the law. Voting fraud is through the roof and yet very little happens to those who support that and who is paying the incentive for the Democrats to lie cheat and steal harming america?
Saw a number last week that we have more people unemployed in this country today than at the time of the chinese virus. A combination of supporting illegals and lazy americans who won’t go back to work because they are still receiving, what is now still, government “Covid Relief $ ” The liberal opposition just simply wants to give away any government free stuff and make life impossible for the average american just to get a vote resulting in our country being lost.
It breaks my heart that We The People have lost our voices and that radicals have hijacked the system to destroy that which our Forefathers and Almighty God put together to make America the shining light on the hill.
This is SO Stupid. This has NOTHING to do with ICE! OMG are they mentally challenged?
In my opinion, the major of Democrats are treading on thin Ice. I feel that the vast number of us Taxpayers are expecting the Save Act to pass –> for the good of our Country.
I’m just filibustered over this whole thing…
Too many sanctimonious fools in the hen’s house…
I’ll be turning 70 in two months and will be just as wise as I never was…
Been blessed so many times I can’t hardly remember…
I’ve been able to live through the hard times and the good times with family, friends and other such folk…
Kept the faith, while surviving through the few not so good times,
despite the foolishness going on now.
dems/libs/commies/socialists/fake news arse holies are CHEERING, while once again REAL TAX PAYING HARD WORKING AMERICANS ARE SUFFERING AT THEIR BS policies….
We HAVE to get the SAVE Act through. If citizenship to register to vote is required by law, as well as photo ID to cast ballots, the Democrats will lose in 2026, 2028 and thereafter. If the law is otherwise, the Democrats will win. If the GOP fails in this very simple endeavor in the Senate, if the Republicans in this country don’t insist upon this from the Senate, then we will deserve all the rot that the Democrats have in store for us.
Communist Democrats have also killed our country .
The Democrats are a slimy bunch of hypocrites and Katie bar the door if they regain power.
All who posted please call Senator Thune at 202-224-2321 and tell him.
We need all Republican Senators to work half as hard as President Trump.
AMAC please publish a list of all Congress Phone numbers.
So the filibuster is still in place right?
Keep the filibuster. Present day pols are not as smart as our Founders – obviously. I would not trust but a couple reps and/or senators with watching over my pet hamster. They are mostly self-obsessed scalawags – disgusting vacuous yappers.
The citizens have made their demands concerning the SAVE act loud and clear. Democrats need the illegal invaders to win elections and help get more Democrat seats in congress. Only a fool would not be eager to pass the SAVE act bill. The anti-America, anti-Constitution fools in congress and those that are state Governors and city Mayors are the root cause of all the mayhem, murders and fraud that Americans are now suffering. It can only get worse as more and more illegals are allowed to vote in the men and women who are giving them a free ride on the taxpayers backs.
Well, the Dems are just a tad smarter (and a WHOLE lot more evil) than the Repubs. They are willing to do anything to grab power and keep it. And unfortunately, most people (Dems) are not wise to their thirst for power. Yes, we’re screwed as a nation. We had a good run. 250 years is pretty good for an empire. The British empire lasted over 400 years. Oh, well.
There is no “QUESTION” nor “DEBATE” on this issue! The current p-party calling itself the Democratic Party is (most assuredly not) and you well know that as fact! So, do not hesitate to use any and all “LEGAL” means to expedite, protect and invoke the “TALKING FILLIBUSTER!” Look to your President as a shining example as to what is needed and how to get it done! PLEASE, DO THIS IMMEDIATELY! Create a national Conservative “Call to Action” which will ignite your membership and constituents to be bold, steadfast, prudent, faithful to the cause, resilient and driven as to make “defeat” an intolerable concept and foreign word! Immediately mandate that your p-party membership conduct “TOWN MEETINGS” across the nation to accomplish this mission. It is April 2026! Start those meetings with “PRAYER”and end them with “In GOD We Trust!” Encourage the town pastors to administer the opening prayers. GOD Bless America! GOD’s Grace be shed upon thee! Without GOD you will not prevail nor will our way of life, heritage or our Constitutional Republic!