Senate Republicans question the durability of the filibuster, contradicting their pledges to safeguard it
In a series of dramatic moves, the republican party-led Senate has deployed the so-called "nuclear option" to change the rules, allowing them to confirm unlimited numbers of a president's sub-Cabinet nominees in one batch. This shift, which has raised concerns about the erosion of minority power in the senate, was supported by a republican party leader who emphasised the need for a fix to the broken nomination process.
Senator John Curtis of Utah, despite some hesitation, voted for this rule change for nominees. While he expressed concern about a slippery slope, he believes the legislative filibuster will be protected. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has also promised that the filibuster for legislation will remain unchanged on his watch.
The Senate's new budget process was also put to use in passing a $3.8 trillion tax cut bill, an accounting trick setting a $0 sticker price. Meanwhile, republicans have bypassed the filibuster with a GOP-only simple majority vote to roll back an electric vehicle standard set by California.
Progressive organiser Stasha Rhodes and some liberal critics argue that these actions amount to the filibuster being essentially dead. Senator Jeff Merkley charged republicans with doublespeak, stating they undermined the filibuster by not having 60 votes and bulldozing through it to pass a tax bill.
However, Senator Curtis does not believe what republicans have done will lead to the death of the legislative filibuster, considering it a red line. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer predicted that republicans will regret pushing the chamber further down an "awful road" in changing Senate rules.
Interestingly, a Senate republican party aide has stated that the move on nominations has no connection to the legislative filibuster. Sen. Ted Cruz criticised the FCC chair's Jimmy Kimmel threat as 'unbelievably dangerous'.
In a separate development, Trump raised the fee for H-1B visas to $100,000. Democrats, in their attempt to lead the legislative filibuster in 2022 to pass a sweeping voting rights package, fell two votes short. Thune has been careful to seek approval of the conference before making changes that will substantially change how the senate functions.
The senate has confirmed a bloc of 48 nominees in one vote, with a larger batch of 108 Trump nominees expected. The political landscape of the senate continues to evolve, with these changes potentially setting a precedent for future rule alterations in the united states.
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