Ending the Republican Party’s ridiculous misuse of the filibuster is a no-brainer.
It would call them out for why the Senate seems to get nothing done.
In a mealy-mouthed manifesto, Democratic senators expressed "strong sentiment" in a letter to Harry Reid.
Strong sentiment? WTF?
Rant follows.
Today’s NYT reports that a letter, signed by 56 Democrats and independents, was sent to Harry Reid:
We believe the current abuse of the rules by the minority threatens the ability of the Senate to do the necessary work of the nation, and we urge you to take steps to bring these abuses of our rules to an end.
Wow. What a sales pitch. I'll buy that for a dollar.
Republicans have already framed the issue:
If Democrats change the rules now, they’ll regret it later on.
You don’t want someone like the dreaded Tea Party getting a hold of this.
We need better public relations guys. We need to re-frame:
* The reason the Senate can’t get anything done is because of
Republican abuse of filibusters.
*Here’s a list of Republicans who used filibusters and holds to hold up and delay Senate action; we demand they step forward and explain why they held the Senate hostage.
*Changing the rules will let government work faster and cheaper; Republicans always say that, we're making it happen.
*This is a right granted under our great Constitution, and it’s about time we exercised that right. [Evoke Jimmy Stewart a lot, especially now when everyone's associating him with angels and fighting the banks.]
But no, we get this Cream of Wheat.
I am definitely planning to pursue the constitutional option on the first legislative day. What will happen as the result of that will depend on the 99 other senators.
Tom Udall (D-NM)
As noted below by eztempo:
Just as long as 51 Senators are clear and determined to change the ground rules on the 5th, the change can happen and probably not be an issue at all to any but a few wingnutters out here in the rest of the country a few weeks from now. And getting those 51 Senators focused on the fight is up to USactivists right now, writingand callingour Senator's offices with polite demands that they act.