The filibuster is dominating headlines as President Trump calls on Senate Republicans to use the "nuclear option" and eliminate the 60-vote threshold to end the government shutdown. On day 35 of the shutdown—now tied as the longest in U.S. history—the debate over Senate rules has never been more urgent. But what exactly is the filibuster? Where did it come from? And should Republicans actually kill it?
In this episode of O'Connor's Right Stand, we break down the complete history of the filibuster—from its accidental creation in 1806 by Aaron Burr to the 1917 Rule XXII that created the cloture process. We explain how the "silent filibuster" replaced the "talking filibuster" in the 1970s, and why this arcane Senate rule now controls whether 42 million Americans get their SNAP benefits.
We expose the stunning hypocrisy of Democrats who wanted to eliminate the filibuster under Biden but suddenly love it under Trump. We cover Trump's Truth Social posts demanding the nuclear option, Senate Majority Leader John Thune's firm rejection, and why even some House Republicans like Byron Donalds and Marjorie Taylor Greene are backing Trump's call.
Most importantly, we lay out what Republicans should actually do: Why killing the filibuster would be a disaster when Democrats inevitably regain power. How returning to the "talking filibuster" would force accountability. And why making Chuck Schumer stand on the Senate floor for 72 hours explaining why he's blocking food assistance might be the smartest strategy of all. The government shutdown. The nuclear option. Senate rules. Democratic hypocrisy. Republican strategy. It's all here.
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