Shutdown Politics Hit the Senate Wall
The latest funding fight shows how fast Washington can turn urgent problems into a seminar on delay. The Senate moved early Friday in a marathon session and approved, by voice vote, a package to fund the Department of Homeland Security, but it left out Immigration and Customs Enforcement and key parts of Customs and Border Protection. Democrats refused to back full funding unless immigration raids and deportation work were cut back. The House later passed a short-term DHS bill by a 213-203 vote to keep the department funded for eight weeks, but the measure still faces long odds in the Senate because the chamber needs 60 votes. In other words, the machine is working exactly as designed, which is the problem.
Why The Filibuster Is Back In The Crosshairs
Trump used the standoff to renew his call for ending the filibuster, saying the Senate should not be trapped by a rule that lets a minority block action on major bills. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans have floated using reconciliation for the SAVE America Act, which would only need 51 votes, but that route depends on approval from the Senate Parliamentarian. That office can strike anything it decides is not budget-related, which is a tidy reminder that the real power in Washington often belongs to people nobody elected and almost nobody can name. So while leaders talk about process, the process quietly eats the bill.
Trump Presses Republicans To Pick A Side
Trump made his frustration plain on Truth Social, writing, “It is time for the Senate Filibuster to END. Those weak and ineffective Republicans Senators that stand in the way of this should be exposed to the public. The Democrats are CRAZY!” His point was not subtle, and neither was the timing. The president is putting pressure on GOP senators who want to keep the filibuster while also promising voters action on immigration and funding. That is the classic Washington trick, defend the rules when they block your side, then blame the other side for the mess. Trump is trying to make the cost of that trick visible.
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