Senator Thune’s ‘Disneyland Filibuster’ to Defeat the SAVE America Act
Published: March 18, 2026
Analysis: The Conservative Caucus
There is a solid path to pass the SAVE America Act using the time-honored ‘talking filibuster’ with just 51 votes including the Vice President’s tie-breaker.
That means that each Senator gets to give two speeches of any length. Some might talk for hours or even a day. Meal and bathroom breaks aren’t allowed, limiting endurance. Some may only be capable of talking for an hour or a few. The Republicans don’t need to talk much if at all to save time.
The whole strategy revolves around exhausting the vocal cords of the Democrats, and then holding a simple majority roll call of 51 votes.
That’s what Democrats did when they unsuccessfully tried to defeat the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They talked for days but still lost.
The Illusion of Progress
Today, many are excited that Senate Majority Leader John Thune had brought the SAVE America Act to the floor of the Senate for debate and eventual passage.
But that’s not what Thune did.
He’s actually giving us a “Disneyland Filibuster.” It looks like it’ll work, but behind the curtain, it’s designed to fail—betraying all of us. Illusion not reality.
The Adjourn vs. Recess Trick
Here’s what Thune did. He ‘adjourned,’ not ‘recessed’ the Senate on Tuesday night; and again on Wednesday—and he’ll do this every night. This sounds like techie stuff, but it matters: At the end of each day, the Senate must recess and not adjourn for the ‘2-speech rule’ of filibuster debate to work.
Otherwise debate could continue literally forever and would never allow it to pass. The 2-speech rule limits debate to the two per Senator as long as the Senate doesn’t adjourn even over many weeks.
Note that Thune recesses the Senate and refuses to adjourn it when they take vacations. Why? Because President Trump could then make ‘recess appointments.’ Those would be essential to overcome Thune’s refusal to rapidly confirm nominees or bypass Democrat Senators putting a ‘hold’ on nominations.
Another Thune betrayal of President Trump and every American who wants honest elections and to let Trump staff his administration—with Disneyland-like smoke and mirrors.
Why Would Thune Rig It to Fail?
Why would Thune rig a show vote designed to lose and surrender to the Democrats and illegal aliens?
He claims he can’t change the minds of 50 Senators to pass it. But that’s like an Army commanding officer refusing to give orders to a private. Who’s in charge? Any worthwhile majority leader has great leverage to pass any bill. The Democrats are incredibly good at getting their fellow members to all vote alike.
It sounds like the old ‘smoke-filled rooms,’ but it’s the reality of how politics works. Those who buck a strong leader’s direction could face losing campaign funds and even get a primary opponent. Their bills and amendments could be ignored. Funds for their state removed from the budget. They could also lose desirable committee assignments—imagine a Senator from a farm state being removed from the Agriculture Committee.
This leverage is how Congress has worked since the beginning. Not nice perhaps, but like with military discipline, it allows good bills to get passed.
Thune has the power but he refuses to use it. He wants it to fail in spite of 80% of Americans and 70% of Democrats supporting it.
Therefore, let’s redouble our pressure on both Thune and all Senate Republicans.
Action Items
- Call Senator Thune and demand he recesses the Senate each evening and on weekends, not formally adjourn. That limits each Senator to only speaking twice under the ancient rules, and enables passing the bill with only 51 votes. Call him: 202-224-2321.
- Call your GOP Senators to support the talking filibuster and vote to pass the SAVE America Act. 202-224-3121.
- Call Senator Fetterman too—he’s the one Democrat most likely to vote for it. 202-224-4254.
- Share this with your family and friends, and everywhere on social media.
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