Now is the time for the President and Harry Reid to force the Republicans to put or shut up. Put them on the floor, make them stand in the well of the Senate and speak against the bills and appointments they are obstructing. Push them physically to the wall and make them speak until they drop. Not for theater's sake, not for political advantage, but for the people's business to be accomplished, now!
"Politics ain't beanbag", this quote from Tip O'Neill is not about backroom deals or arm twisting, it's about using the political power given to your party to play hardball. It's time to start fighting back and playing the cards Democrats have, relentlessly, and we hold the majority in both houses of Congress and the Presidency.
The collegiality of the Senate is a myth. That Senate has not existed for years, some Senators may not know which team they are supposed to be on, but Democrats have got to start acting like they know how to pull the levers of power and that doesn't start with asking your opponents to play fair, pretty please.
If nothing can get past the filibuster, then we might as well cede power to the minority and go home. That's apparently the strategy, do nothing, let America see that nothing is being done, then hope Americans draw the right conclusion: Republicans are mean bullys that don't care about anything but their own political aims.
Unfortunately, Americans may come to the conclusion that Democrats are gutless, flannel mouthed, schemers, unwilling to stand up and fight for what they believe. That Republicans are willing to stop all government action that they don't agree with, even if it costs them politically. That's what Republicans are counting on Americans concluding and they may be right.
Bold action is what America needs now, if Democrats won't force Republicans to actually filibuster, then we can not claim that we are leading. If we are going to go down, let's at least put up a fight, negotiating with Republicans to achieve legislative goals is like petting a rabid dog, both ineffective and dangerous.
Force the filibuster, now, before its Majority Leader Mc Connell forcing the Democrats to the floor...