I have never been so ashamed to be called a democrat as I am today...

[samrock]

I just read about the democrats in the senate wimping out of filibuster reform.. they are afraid of what will happen if the republicans get control in 2012 if they manage to peel away a few moderate dems to their side.. Do democrats no longer have faith in their own ideas??? With the filibuster gone there would be a real test of who is right about the issues.. Politicians could no longer hide behind arcane rules to tie up reform.. Ideas would go into affect.. for good or bad.. BUT they WOULD happen and we would see whose ideas are best.. I believe the republicans ideas lead to depressions and bad economic times.. and that most of the democratic ideas would lead to better times and economic justice ( which is why the republicans are afraid of them and want to use the filibuster rules to tie them up).. When oh when will we get more democrats with the balls to put their votes behind their ideas????

[BrklynLiberal]

1. It is a very sad day for what was once the Democratic party.....

[LAGC]

2. When do Democrats even use the filibuster?

Seems like its primarily a Republican tool for obstruction more than anything.

[Recursion]

6. We used it literally hundreds of times against Bush between 2000 and 2006 (nt)

[defendandprotect]

25. They don't -- when they even threaten to use it, GOP goes nuts and they back down....

[elocs]

3. The Republicans WILL get control of the Senate in 2012. Numbers are against the Democrats.

With 23 Democratic seats up and only 10 Republican and they only need a net gain of 3, there goes the Senate.

[boston bean]

8. Do you think the Republicans will keep the filibuster rules as they are now if/when

they get a majority?

[elocs]

14. They might because they know how to use it when they are the minority.

I don't think they fear Democrats having it.

[Lasher]

19. They might but that was a very good question.

Hanging onto the filibuster now does nothing to guarantee that it will still be around after 2 years.

[samrock]

21. The republicasn will NEVER change the filibuster rules...

Why should they???.. They work so well for them when THEY are in charge. They get what the want any way.. So why give the democrats power for when they are in charge???

[tridim]

9. They WILL if others give up as it appears you have.

Are you psychic?

Republicans are currently less popular than canker sores. Is something going to change in the next 18 months?

[elocs]

12. Nope, just a realist who believes in math. The numbers are simply too big.

You hardly have to be psychic to predict that the Republicans will have a net gain of at least 3 seats. You do, however, have to live in reality.

[tridim]

15. So your advice is to give up now, 2 years out?

That's just fucking stupid.

Why do you even bother to post on DU if that's your tude? What value are you providing our community?

[elocs]

26. Could you please point out in my posts where I said to give up?

Can't do it, can you? So who is fucking stupid now?

[Lurks Often]

28. Not psychic, realistic

or have you forgotten the loss of the House so soon?

From Wikipedia:

Republicans gained a net 63 seats from Democrats and retook control of the chamber they had lost in the 2006 midterm elections, erasing the gains Democrats made in 2006 and 2008 and picked up additional seats, making it the highest total House victory for a single party since 1948 and the highest of any midterm election since 1938.[

[earthside]

13. They have effective control now.

Without simple majority rule in the U.S. Senate, the Repuglicans can block any legislation proposed by the Democrats.

So, now the Democrats will become the "party of no" as they block or vote down every extreme spending cut bill that comes over from the House. Mark my words, that is how the Repuglicans, the Teabaggers and the mainstream corporate media will spin what is about to develop in Congress.

So, the nearsighted Senate Democrats will get the worst of both worlds because of their timidity: accused of obstructing deficit reduction for the next tow years and formally losing their control in 2012.

[defendandprotect]

27. Exactly, and when Dems have the numbers they turn their power over to the Repugs....

The Repugs are in control of Congress whether they're the majority or the minority --

we've been saying this for two decades now! Longer!

Sen. George Mitchell with Democratic Senate turned it completely over to Sen. Bob Dole!

Obama with a huge mandate and a GOP which was shattered, rescued them -- and pushed

their agenda to the detriment of the American public -- that's how we got the GOP "deform"

health care instead of MEDICARE FOR ALL -- back room deals with Big Pharma and PRIVATE

health care industry! Billions in business contracts for corporations from the Stimulus!

New attacks on public education by Obama/Dundan -- pushing Charter Schools!!

Now -- instead of the Republican party having collapsed, Obama is completely destroying

any faith that may be left in the Democratic Party -- and if we have another two years

of Obama and Wall Street reign we will possibly fall into complete depression!


Change for 2012 -- !! Move Obama out and someone like Bernie Sanders in to run on the

Dem ticket !!

[msongs]

4. democrats are in the minority to the repubs, repub-lites, and teabaggers nt

[marmar]

5. Elected Democrats, as a collective, DO NOT have the courage of their convictions.

nt

[RegieRocker]

7. Hmmm I wonder where the wishy washy, flip floppy terms came

from?

[yourout]

10. At this point nothing and I mean NOTHING of substance will come out of the house so...

no reason to change it now.

[mzmolly]

11. Do you have a link? Did we "wimp out," or not have the votes?

Thanks.

[samrock]

16. Link ya asked for

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/congress/2011/01/senate-quiet-death-filibuster-reform

[mzmolly]

24. Thanks.

Sounds like they didn't have the votes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. There have been more of those sad days than I can count

since the Dems wimped out in the face of Reagan's "reforms."

[littlewolf]

18. self delete - dupe link

[Bandit]

20. Democrats

[tjwash]

22. Your concern is duly noted.

[dkf]

23. What's the point of getting rid of the filibuster when it gets stuck in the House anyway?

Maybe for judicial appts but beyond that getting what we want legislatively is pretty unrealistic.