MAGA Republicans Threaten Going 'Nuclear' To End Government Shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Huff Post

Oct 10, 2025, 11:10 AM EDT | Updated 6 hours ago


WASHINGTON ― Some Republicans say they may have to take drastic measures and go “nuclear” by changing the U.S. Senate’s filibuster rules to pass a funding bill if the government shutdown drags on for a while and federal workers and military troops miss successive paychecks.

“I think if it takes too long, that’s probably an option that should be considered,” Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), a top MAGA stalwart, told HuffPost. “There’s probably 80% of Americans that can’t go without two paychecks in a row. I think at that point we have to look at it and say, if the Democrats are still doing political stunts, we have to do the right thing and reopen the government and pay our employees.”

“I think most Americans would say, ‘Why don’t you reopen the government? You have a majority,’” he added. “But unfortunately, the rules are 60. That’s decently arbitrary.” The support of 60 senators is required to overcome a filibuster in the Senate and advance a bill for a final vote. Invoking the so-called nuclear option refers to changing this rule with a simple majority of votes.

On the other side of the Capitol, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has also argued that it’s time to end the long-standing Senate rule. “As far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, let’s be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago,” Greene wrote in a social media post this week. “There are no partisan relations. Instead, Republicans need to learn how to wield power when they have it and govern.”

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shutdown-filibuster-republicans_n_68e9013be4b0972b775995fa?origin=home-whats-happening-unit

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Their strategy has been to "blame Democrats" despite the fact that the GOP CONTROLS all the levers of power and that bullshit is finally being peeled back to expose their "cover up" strategy for the Epstein files.

Thune could attempt a vote to "go nuclear" and do away with the 60-vote cloture rule for legislation in the Senate (which includes this C.R.) and that will put the whole draconian ball of wax COMPLETELY in THEIR court. All of it. Every last bit. It only takes a majority vote (51) to change the Rule and there are 53 GOP Senators.

[wiggs]

1. IMHO they aren't worried about election ramifications. Any behavior is fine if there's no election. This is about

power and money...rules and norms don't matter to them.

[littlemissmartypants]

2. But then...

They'd be fully responsible for their actions and they’re afraid of that. They'd rather blame us.

[SSJVegeta]

4. Probably a big part of why they havent done it

[OldBaldy1701E]

17. They will blame Democrats regardless of the reality of the situation.

If the entire country stood in front of them with enough evidence to prove that each and every one were in cahoots with those who wanted to destroy any trace of 'equality' in this nation and the evidence was irrefutable...

They'd still blame us for 'not coming together for the good of the country'.

They have no shame and no morals. Why we would consider anything other than invalidating their party forever is beyond me.

[SSJVegeta]

3. Hope they do

Majorities on congress are intended to pass the intention of the majority...

[taxi]

5. Would that mean if Democrats would become the majority party upon swearing in,

but are still in the minority immediately following the election, then could the lame duck majority simply vote to reinstate the filibuster?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Any Senate Rule can be changed pretty much any time.

All they need is a majority to make the change.

If Democrats retook the Senate and the Rule was reinstated again just before Democrats took over, Democrats could just remove it again (with their own majority vote). This is why they have been trying to avoid messing with what is a last stopgap. It's just that the process has been abused so much.

At the beginning of each Congressional session, they usually draft new, tweak and/or reinstate any previous Rules and decide on Committee Chairs/Ranking members.

The whole thing has been based on "the honor system" (as I have posted many times) and the Senate has attempted to maintain that "cloture" thing to streamline the legislative process as a "compromise" to not requiring a "talking filibuster".

[RedArkGuy]

21. Yes

. . . but it wouldn't apply to the next Senate unless it was kept in the rules.

[AntiFascist]

7. Then, Americans who depend on the ACA will really turn against the GOP in the midterms, if not already n/t

[liberalgunwilltravel]

8. Can't win?

Change the rules.

[Scrivener7]

9. Republicans own this government. We knew they were going to change the rules going into this.

So be it. Have at it, mofos.

[Blasphemer]

10. If they believe what they are doing is supported by the majority of Americans...

what's stopping them?

[Cheezoholic]

11. I 100% believe they are not worried about the midterms because they know Krasnov or WHOMEVER is in there

next Nov will have already have had martial law declared and cancel the elections. The Insurrection Act is the first step. Don't tell me they CAN'T do it. I've been told on here and elsewhere everything they CAN'T do and they've done it for over 10 years. They can do whatever the fuck they want to. They're going to ease into it over the next year so the medicine won't taste as bad to the American people... or so they think.

FF!!!

[Prairie Gates]

12. MAKE. THEM. DO. IT.

Period.

[Jspur]

13. Dare them to do

it. If they do it then so be it. There is nothing we can do about it if they go the nuclear route but the Democrats should not back down with that threat being thrown in their face. If they actually do the nuclear option then we can hold the democrats feet to the fire whenever they are back in power to use the nuclear option against the Republicans. There will be no more excuse now in the future when the Democrats have power not to use the nuclear option.

[Cha]

14. I thought the Fascists Didn't care if

the government was Shut Down since they get paid?

TY BRDS

[House of Roberts]

15. I am reminded of people here who said if we ended the filibuster

then the Republicans could do whatever they wanted the next time they got control.

That's always been a possibility whether we ended it or not. Never ever say that to me again, whoever you were.

Our entire system of government went to rubbish the minute rich fucks decided they were through with playing by someone else's rules. Now they just make up their own.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. Why stop with the filibuster? They could increase the number of Extreme Court justices to thirteen, ...

... and pack it with four more young Alitos. Starting with Judge Cannon.

[dalton99a]

18. Do it, assholes

[pecosbob]

19. Sounds like a pretty trivial reason to eliminate the filibuster

Such a draconian move would more likely be used to do something highly unpopular like outlawing abortion or the minority right to vote for example.

[YoshidaYui]

20. The Republicans run the White House, The Senate, The House and the Supreme court..

and yet they blame the Democrats for shutting down the government, if they wanted it open, they would have done so no matter what Democrats say.