Donald Trump is back in the White House and yet, somehow, Democrats are still running the show.
It’s not because they have better ideas or a stronger mandate. It’s because they know how to use power, and Republicans really don’t.
Right now, Democrats are exploiting the government shutdown like a political gold mine. They’re painting the GOP as heartless and disorganized, blaming Trump and Senate Republicans for everything from reduced SNAP benefits to delayed air travel. If TSA lines and cancelled flights get worse by Thanksgiving, the narrative is already written: Republicans broke the government, and ordinary Americans are paying the price.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are wringing their hands over “optics.”
But this isn’t about optics. It’s about governing. The American people gave Republicans a governing majority to restore the border, cut the bureaucracy, end the weaponization of justice, and defend the family. Instead, the party of supposed limited government is letting Chuck Schumer and 60-vote gridlock run out the clock on Trump’s second term.
Every day the filibuster remains, Democrats win by default. They don’t need to pass anything, they just need to prevent Republicans from legislating. They just have to stall, blame Republicans for the chaos, and wait out the clock until 2028. The shutdown drama isn’t a crisis for them -- it’s a strategy.
A minority shouldn't rule the majority
The Founders never intended for a Senate minority to wield permanent veto power. The filibuster isn’t in the Constitution. It’s a procedural relic that’s been used almost exclusively to block conservative priorities -- border security, election integrity, and spending restraint -- while Democrats abolish it whenever it suits them. When they wanted to pack the courts, ram through judges, or confirm radical nominees, they had no problem “going nuclear.”
Republicans, on the other hand, act as if preserving the filibuster is some sacred duty, even when it means surrendering the ability to govern. They cling to a false sense of procedural purity while Democrats are running a full-contact political war.
The GOP establishment is terrified of being called “authoritarian” or “anti-democratic.” Newsflash: Democrats will call you that anyway. They already call parents “domestic extremists” and pro-lifers “terrorists.” Trying to appease the media is a loser’s game.
What’s far worse than bad press is losing the country because you were too polite to use the tools available to you.
Use Power to Keep Power
If Republicans want to pass an America First agenda — border enforcement, energy independence, deregulation, parental rights — they must eliminate the filibuster and act decisively. Voters didn’t elect a majority to “negotiate with Schumer.” They elected one to deliver.
Americans don’t need another round of GOP press conferences blaming Democrats. We need results -- and that means governing with the same conviction the Left uses to destroy what conservatives built.
It’s time for the GOP to stop being afraid of winning. End the filibuster. Pass the agenda. Let the Democrats whine about “norms” while Republicans finally get something done and WIN.
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