Bill Maher makes an excellent point: President Obama and his Democratic Party have such comfortable majorities in both houses of Congress, he needs to stop offering half solutions in order to appease one or two Republicans here or there. The GOP have proven beyond a doubt that they have no intention of compromising with this president one iota on anything.
So...I say "fuck 'em." Let them sit there and whine and bitch and moan while the Democrats take care of the nation's business. If the Republicans insist on filibustering every bill the Senate considers, then the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, needs to force a REAL filibuster: the member calling for it must stand on the Senate floor and speak non-stop until 60 votes are cobbled together to end it. As it is currently laid out, just the threat of a filibuster requires 60 votes. That is a super-majority, and that is undemocratic.
As far as the House of Representatives goes, filibusters aren't allowed over there. The Republicans have no power to block anything. I believe (sincerely) if the Democrats in the House move on a solidly progressive agenda, it has the potential to reap rewards in the 2010 mid-terms. That is what America voted for in 2006 and 2008. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer need to stop being scared of the Republican boogey man. He's been beaten into a long, deep coma. He can't hurt them anymore.
While our side has such a strong advantage, it is time, as Bill Maher insists, to do something.
