An interesting observation about filibusters by Thom Hartmann.

[Cleita]

Thom said that the Republicans haven't had a filibuster proof Senate since 1926 yet in those years have managed to ram through a lot of legislation favoring their agenda anyway. He says that the Democrats are whimps for being so fearful of a filibuster.

[On the Road]

It Is Maddening,

but I think the charge of being wimps has to be tempered by the way issues are framed and presented in the minds of the voting public.

So much of the news and commentary is filtered through a Republican lens that it is not a level playing field.

Clinton took a confrontational approach during his first term in allowing the government shutdown, and he won in voters' minds. But on other issues he wasn't as agressive or as successful.

Senators are in touch with constituents and poll numbers, and to some extent they might have a better reading of the fallout from filibustering and overriding filibusters.

[Lasher]

1. He's right.

Maybe this is a little simplistic but I like the idea of introducing good legislation and if bad people want to vote against it then let them go on record.

[tabatha]

2. It is not being wimps ----

it is understanding how much time is wasted, and how little can be moved if everything is clogged with a filibuster.

And Republicans are not interested in getting Democratic legislation through --- they are only interested in stopping stuff.

I wish Hartmann would discuss this with Sanders.

It is very easy being a critic, without a full understanding of what the Democrats face, and I also think it is being a bit of a traitor.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. And a lot of legislation has been stopped. Who remembers Reid and..

the filibuster threats over immigration and judges?

(Yeah, that Reid, the Reid everyone here loves to think of as such a wuss.)

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

6. Reid said one piece of legislation wouldn't be considered

because the Republicans might think about filibustering it. The GOP didn't even have to issue their usually bluster -- we did the work for them!

Why is it that it takes us 60 votes to pass even the most meager of laws while it took them 51 to jam the most destructive legislation through during the Bush reign?

Jon Stewart is right, the Repugs are playing chess while the Dems are at the school nurse's office with their balls glued to their leg.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. Republicans have had a corporate agenda

Many Democrats feed from the same corporate trough. This ain't rocket science. The whole "liberal v. conservative" melodrama is an engaging front story but it's the money that insures the dominance of a corporate agenda that is the real story.

[Greyhound]

5. Exactly. The illusion of opposition maintains the illusion of choice. n/t

[TheWraith]

7. It's a completely different situation.

There has never previously been a time when the opposition party was so completely galvanized to stop ANYTHING from happening in the Senate.