Moving the 60 vote threshold down to 55 would empower moderates in both parties to cut bipartisan deals rather than the present system which empowers the Minority party to endless obstruct the will of the majority. It also ensures future 51 vote majorities can’t ram major policy changes or appointments through, something to consider in case we got stuck with another Republican trifecta down the line.
Ross Douthat makes the case that Joe Manchin should pursue this change and perhaps save the Senate from itself.
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The threshold isn’t really the biggest issue. Robert’s Rules requires 2/3 to close debate and things move along all the time. The difference is that Robert’s requires the continuation of actual germane debate, without which the previous question is automatically ordered.
I prefer the approach that ties the question to the number of senators present or that requires a threshold number those present to continue the filibuster.
The filibuster itself is not the issue. It is the ease with which senators of either party today mail-in a request for a filibuster and then leave town to campaign.
If the GOP were forced to keep 40 senators present in the chamber to vote to continue a filibuster, the GOP would be far more selective about the legislation it chooses to target.
That’s fine too and Manchin did flirt with supporting that before, although his more recent editorial seems to preclude that kind of reform. I think the 55 vote threshold is likelier to get passed and found it notable a conservative proposed it, but I’m an all of the above guy when it comes to ways to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.