The most likely filibuster reform — and its limits

A companion proposal that might actually be more significant would be to require all 41 senators blocking a bill to be present on the floor — rather than just to require one of them to be constantly talking. Lining up speakers to sustain a filibuster would be comparatively easy, if arduous for whoever was on the floor at that time.

There is perhaps a way in which Democrats could reinstall the talking filibuster while allowing for other legislation to proceed in the meantime. But as the debate in the 1970s showed, having those two things coincide would be very difficult — especially given how tough it will be to pass virtually any real reforms with just 50 Democratic votes.

And if nothing else, Republicans have proved much more adept at using the Senate rules to their advantage than have Democrats. A quick fix is always an attractive idea. But filibuster reform isn’t nearly so neat as the current reformists would like it to be — either today or five decades ago.