"Why are Senate Republicans ROLLING OVER?!"
They aren't, the SAVE Act will not pass this session, and they have more important actions to do, such as passing nominations (something Thune has been fantastic on)
Time on the Senate floor is limited, and the minority can stall out nearly everything for hours and hours.
If the choice is between not passing a bill, and passing nominations, objectively the right option is to pass nominations.
The fillibuster is staying for the 119 and probably 120th Congress full stop.
After that is the idea of a talking filibuster which probably won't work because neither the majority nor minority can stomach being on the floor that long. Not to mention a standing filibuster is going around the filibuster to multiple members of the GOP, probably meaning it won't even pass that way.
Next is firing the parliamentarian, you can fire her, but the next person will also block the SAVE Act from being in any reconciliation. The rules are pretty clear, and this woman blocked dems from doing amnesty in 21. There is an objective set of rules, which overriding would be equal to nuking the filibuster, which means its not happening.
There is also no fault of Thune on this, there is nothing more he or Barraso can do. You cannot whip Senators the same way you can whip House members. The Senate is inherently resistant to sudden pressure, and with 3 retiring and 1 Senator not up until 28, what are you going to do to them? Nothing. They were designed with this concept built in. Which is why they aren't elected every two years.
You can argue whether the GOP should or shouldn't nuke the filibuster, but the objective truth is for this Congress and likely for the 120th, its not going anywhere.
🚨 JUST IN: Sen. John Cornyn says the SAVE AMERICA ACT IS DEAD, Sen. Mike Lee fires back saying it'll pass if the GOP FIGHTS
Why are Senate Republicans ROLLING OVER?!
CORNYN: "Not gonna happen, and every one (except the naive or misinformed) knows it."
LEE: "I’m neither naive nor misinformed."
"It could happen if we put the SAVE America Act on the floor with strong resolve to continue debating it until it passes."
"I’m just unwilling to pretend we have no ability to avoid failure." 🔥