now that we CAN'T get to 60 votes, it's time to go nuclear

unless the senate (and therefore reid and pelosi and obama) want to be effectively impotent as far as passing non-republican legislation is concerned, we need to change the rules to permit a POPULAR president with a CLEAR MAJORITY in BOTH HOUSES to get things done.

i'm not completely opposed to the senate's long tradition of the filibuster, but the republicans have SORELY abused it. i can understand standing up for your minority beliefs on a core issue on a rare occassion (even if it's as sick as strom thurmond filibustering civil rights) but filibustering everything in sight as a PURE POWER PLAY in order to simply keep the majority from accomplishing ANYTHING is just not a recipe for good governance.

the rules have to be changed so that the filibuster is harder to abuse in this fashion.

We just do a whip count of the votes, and call it a filibuster.

I say, make the GOP mount a REAL filibuster -- over EVERYTHING they have a problem with.

Every jot.

Every tittle.

Make 'em work.

And while we're at it, now that the Magic 60 has been broken, send them Joe Lieberman, just to rub it in.

--d!

Liberman was on the republicans side. And that reminds now that the Democrats don't have to beg him to "come on over", they should kick his butt out of the chairmanship he holds.

want HCR? Does Pres Obama?

leadership wants to, because then they wouldnt have an excuse.

It doesn't need the filibuster.

I know it protects the individual Senator's right to debate and amendment over efficiency and getting things done.

But our system is sluggish enough without it.

Though I would have some fear of what Rethugs could do, say in 2004 after that election. I imagine that's why the Dems hold onto it.