The fact is that the Republicans smashed the old filibuster record in 110th Congress (2007-2008) by nearly a 2 to 1 margin over any previous session, and are on track to possibly break that ignominious record again. More than enough is way past enough. They are on record stating that the have an agenda of obstructionism, including the most perfunctory of procedural motions.
Stop The Filibuster Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1027.php
This can no longer be tolerated. A minority party cannot be allowed to grind all the productive business of the people to an effective halt out of sheer strategic political spite. The filibuster must be abolished now.
For years we have been promised that if the Democrats got 60 votes in the Senate that we could finally make real progress on policy change. But instead what we see is that a couple "bad cop" obstructionists in the Democratic caucus itself can hold the whole rest of the country and the Congress for policy ransom with the filibuster rule, forcing absolutely the worst possible outcome in all cases.
One would think that if there is ANYONE in the Democratic party who is the least bit serious about real change, it is time for them to stand up and call for a parliamentary ruling on Constitution grounds, declaring the filibuster abolished. You would think de facto Republicans like Ben Nelson would welcome being off the hook with their constituents, no longer responsible for passage of bills they might personally oppose.
Somehow the Republicans managed to get their agenda through, for better or worse, even without control of the Senate. Are we to believe the Democrats are incapable of exercising power even WITH a compelling majority? Regardless of what happens in Massachusetts this Tuesday, few people expect the current not really 60 vote majority to survive the next general election.
Stop The Filibuster Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1027.php
UNLESS the filibuster is abolished, any hope of real substantial policy change is therefore permanently dead and we might as well face up to it and make the end of the filibuster our primary agenda before anything else. Without all these filibuster threats from within the Democratic party itself, we could have had a much better health care bill now, even all other things being equal.
And to help build this movement we have designed and have ready to go a brand new "Stop The Filibuster" cap, with a neat graphic of a red stop light you are absolutely going to love. So after you submit the action page you can request one on the return page from your submission. Or you can get on directly here.
Stop The Filibuster Cap: http://www.peaceteam.net/all_gifts.php
Facebook participants can also submit the action page at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/UTalk/261058923438?v=app_2370152746
where you can also check out the new Voices tab application, which you can add to your own Facebook profile page.
And on Twitter, just send the following Twitter reply
@cxs #p1027
