I saw a recent diary called Top of the Agenda: Filibuster Reform Now. While I fully agree that the filibuster needs to be reformed if not abolished outright, I think that this cannot be the top item on the agenda, because first we have to deal with the upcoming fiscal cliff in the lame-duck session.
Things did not start off well and we need to take care not to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (it wouldn't be the first time). In fact, Glenn Greenwald has already described the developments of the upcoming weeks, see below. Hint: it does not end well, at least for those of you who are in favor of Medicare and Social Secutiry.
It is widely expected - including by liberals - that Obama intends (again) to pursue a so-called "Grand Bargain" with the GOP: a deficit- and debt-cutting agreement whereby the GOP agrees to some very modest tax increases on the rich in exchange for substantial cuts to entitlement programs such as social security and Medicare, the crown legislative jewels of American liberalism.
Indeed, Obama already sought in his first term to implement sizable cuts to those programs, but liberals were saved only by GOP recalcitrance to compromise on taxes. In light of their drubbing last night, they are likely to be marginally if not substantially more flexible, which means that such a deal is more possible than ever.
Regarding the possible flexibility of the Republicans, note that John Boehner has already expressed his
willingness to compromise loud and clear. We can of course hope that he will stick to his absolute no-tax-increase-ever position as he
claimed on ABC.
However, Greenwald goes on to describe steps one to six of the following developments, ending in total defeat. I am very worried that he might be right. Step 6 in particular sounds very familiar:
STEP SIX: Once the deal is enacted with bipartisan support and Obama signs it in a ceremony, standing in front of his new Treasury Secretary, the supreme corporatist Erskine Bowles, where he touts the virtues of bipartisanship and making "tough choices", any progressives still complaining will be told that it is time to move on. Any who do not will be constantly reminded that there is an Extremely Important Election coming – the 2014 midterm – where it will be Absolutely Vital that Democrats hold onto the Senate and that they take over the House. Any progressive, still infuriated by cuts to social security and Medicare, who still refuses to get meekly in line behind the Party will be told that they are jeopardizing the Party's chances for winning that Vital Election and – as a result of their opposition - are helping Mitch McConnell take over control of the Senate and John Boehner retain control of the House.
It is your job to stop this from happening. Winning the election was only the first step.