The reality of filibuster freedom

The principle of majority rule accompanied by minority protections has never been so abused as by Senate Republicans, which is an observation about as insightful as noting that sewer rats spread unwelcome pestilence. In other words, a busting of filibuster rules is in conspicuous parliamentary order, and long overdue. 

From this, however, we should not imagine a new era of legislative efficiency. For there's the GOP House, from which some bills must originate, and through which all must pass, no matter how overpopulated the House is by ... sewer rats.

Oh, House Republicans doubtless will love themselves some brown, and soon. Latinos are to be strenuously wooed by the Lotharios. Other than that cheap opportunism of immigration reform, though, the GOP House will likely prove itself as fastidiously obstructive as ever. The Democratic Senate will wait and then wait some more for openings to break vapid filibusters, which will arrive from the House with less and less rapidity.

Comments

[japa21]

However, if there can be at least some reform, nominations will not be able to be blocked and the Senate can pass some legislation which at least will place on the House the onus of either accepting or rejecting it. I have a feeling that there will be more and more statements like Obama's of last week statuing "The Senate has already passed X and it is just waiting for Boehner to bring it up for a vote in the House (or Cantor if his expected rebellion occurs)"

But the vote on nominations, particularly for the SC, is where filibuster reform can have its biggest impact.

[Peter G]

I wouldn't minimize the importance of immigration reform nor would I describe it as opportunism to advance it. If you haven't been surfing through the commentary of right wing sites you may not be aware of how divisive this issue is on the right. And the division is right where I'd like it to be. On one side are the pragmatic Republicans who know what must be done to stop their party from falling into the abyss and the ideological purists/racists/nativists who would push it in. The icing on the cake is that this division cuts through the tea party itself judging by the comments from self identified tea partiers I have seen who just want to ditch the social conservatives.