What the study found
The study finds that ending the filibuster would likely change gridlock only in a limited number of cases. The authors describe the practical effects as more muted than some supporters of elimination expect.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest this matters because political and media elites have called for ending the filibuster in response to gridlock in Washington. The findings indicate that eliminating it is not a general solution, but the abstract does not give further policy guidance.
What the researchers tested
The researchers derived a series of legislative bargaining models, which are formal models of how lawmakers negotiate and make decisions. They then used gridlock data from Binder (2015) to run simulations of what might happen if the filibuster were removed.
What worked and what didn't
The simulations suggest that removing the filibuster would affect gridlock only under narrow conditions. The abstract says the results are less dramatic than the view that getting rid of the filibuster would be a panacea, or a cure-all.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe the specific circumstances in which effects would appear, beyond saying they are narrow. It also does not provide details on the full model assumptions or any limitations of the simulation design.
Key points
- Eliminating the filibuster would likely affect gridlock only in a narrow set of circumstances.
- The study uses legislative bargaining models and simulations based on gridlock data from Binder (2015).
- The abstract says the practical effects of ending the filibuster are more muted than some people believe.
- The paper frames the filibuster debate in response to perennial gridlock in Washington.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Ending the filibuster would likely have limited effects on gridlock
- Authors:
- Adam Ramey
- Institutions:
- New York University
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-24
- OpenAlex record:
- View
- Image credit:
- United States Senate, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with scholarly research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.