The Filibuster Must Fall — A Republican Roadmap to Save the Republic

The U.S. Senate was designed to encourage serious deliberation and refine major legislation before it reshapes the country. In practice, however, the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold often turns the chamber into a graveyard for bills: while most measures pass by a majority, both beginning and ending debate can be controlled by a supermajority requirement.

I once defended preserving the filibuster in large part, arguing only to eliminate the abused motion to proceed, which lets senators kill measures without public debate. That procedural change would force transparency and roll-call votes while keeping a filibuster that promotes compromise.

Recent rhetoric and personnel changes within the Democratic Party, however, have changed my view. Then–Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer signaled last August that Democrats intended to abolish the filibuster if they won decisively: “We got it up to 48, but, of course, Sinema and Manchin voted no; that’s why we couldn’t change the rules. Well, they’re both gone, Ruben Gallego is for it, and we have 51. So even losing Manchin, we still have 50.” With moderates like Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema out of the picture, a unified Democratic majority could more readily assemble the votes needed to eliminate the filibuster.

Had such a change occurred after a decisive Democratic victory, it could have paved the way for sweeping changes: court expansion, broad expansions of voting access, and statehood for D.C. and potentially Puerto Rico—moves that could entrench long-term majorities. President Trump’s victory interrupted that timetable, but recent off‑year election swings in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York show how quickly political fortunes can shift. Even in blue states, Republicans made gains with independents and women—signals the GOP should heed.

A narrow window for Republicans

This moment — between now and the midterms — may be the GOP’s last clear window to set a long-term agenda before rules are rewritten. If Republicans fail to make a persuasive case on affordability and reform, they risk losing congressional control, which would stall their priorities and invite countermeasures from the opposition.

The January 2022 filibuster fight demonstrated how pivotal individual senators can be: at that time, most senators who voted were prepared to end the filibuster, leaving a few key moderates as the last bulwarks. Today, some of those moderates have departed, making change more likely if Democrats reclaim unified control.

A conservative reform agenda

If the filibuster falls, Republicans should be ready with a focused, popular reform program rather than scorched-earth politics. The following agenda emphasizes concrete, market-oriented steps to restore trust, cut costs and protect constitutional norms:

• Restore election integrity: Implement verifiable voting systems with voter‑verified paper trails, clear chain-of-custody procedures, and meaningful penalties for proven fraud. These are targeted safeguards to bolster public confidence in democratic outcomes.
• Trim bureaucratic bloat: Pursue targeted cuts to wasteful programs and streamline overlapping agencies. Grant the executive clearer authority to sunset ineffective entities, enforce accountability, and resolve legal disputes over administrative overreach.
• Make health care markets work: Build on price‑transparency efforts to tackle the opaque 90 percent of health‑care costs beyond retail prescription drugs. Accurate, upfront pricing—paired with portable health savings accounts (HSAs) and consumer choice—can drive competition so patients can choose more affordable options and reduce billing errors and fraud.
• Protect institutional stability: Pursue constitutional fixes that restore public confidence in key institutions—such as proposals to clarify the size and structure of the Supreme Court and reaffirm the constitutional status of the District of Columbia—while recognizing that constitutional amendments require broad bipartisan backing.
• Preserve negotiating tools for trade and security: Defend the president’s ability to use tariffs as leverage in trade and national security negotiations. If courts constrain that authority, Congress should consider clear statutory frameworks that balance executive flexibility with legislative oversight.
• Address the debt and spending challenge: Commit to rolling federal spending back toward pre‑pandemic levels (adjusted for inflation) and adopt disciplined multi‑year spending reductions—such as a gradual percentage cut plan—to put the federal budget on a sustainable path without sudden shocks to the economy.

These proposals are presented as surgical, popular reforms designed to preserve limited government, protect markets and restore trust in public institutions—not as partisan retribution.

The filibuster, originally intended to encourage deliberation, now frequently enables gridlock while one party contemplates abolishing the tool entirely. Republicans should decide whether to defend the status quo or to act decisively with a clear, constructive agenda that appeals to voters and secures the long-term health of our institutions.

Heather R. Higgins, CEO of Independent Women’s Voice and president of Suasion Insights.