I'd share progressives' disgust of Harry Reid's filibuster capitulation only if I could imagine any legislation coming out of the paleolithic House worth Senate consideration. Plus this was never Reid's decision, really. He has his own dinosaurs--"Sens. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Max Baucus (Mont.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.)," as The Hill identifies them--who enjoy munching on the illusion of belonging to the world's "greatest deliberative body," which is now just a euphemism for "intellectual graveyard."
I also can't imagine what must be the ulcer-inducing, mind-blowing frustration of conscientious U.S. senators. To make it that far in politics--the only profession in which the powerless and systemically disadvantaged can find a real republican voice--only to be stymied by ideological mossbacks and soulless opportunists, such as Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, James Inhofe and Mitch McConnell, must be indescribably dispiriting.
And which, in time, can lead to the illusion.
... making Biden the indispensible man in this administration.
Posted by: Robert Lipscomb | January 22, 2013 at 02:36 PM
Just out of curiosity, are you making a case for term limits?
Posted by: MinneapolisPipe | January 22, 2013 at 02:51 PM
On the plus side. The complete boredom produced by serving most of a term in that house of seldom sober thought prompted one young senator from Illinois to do what was heretofore unthinkable. At least without Joe Kennedy's money and connections behind him. He ran for president. And on the whole I am rather glad he did. Pretty awesome silver lining as they go.
Posted by: Peter G | January 22, 2013 at 07:00 PM
You might want to update your commentary. Harry Reid has given Republicans 36 hours to come to Jesus or else he'll call a simple majority vote (like Robert Byrd used to when he changed Senate rules). Reid says he has the votes.
Posted by: Alexandra | January 22, 2013 at 10:23 PM