I can't help but wonder how the filibuster has been reduced to a threat. The mere mention of the filibuster in today's Senate is enough to automatically raise the threshold for bill passage to 60 votes. Why are Republicans' feet not held to the fire when they threaten a filibuster? Where's the cry of bullshit on this con? Why are they not paraded, one by one, for days at a time into the Senate chamber to endlessly recite recipes (a la The West Wing), or the Bible, or whatever the hell else they care to read? At the very least, this would provide endless hours of visual evidence of obstructionism---evidence which can then be used in election time advertisements for moderate republicans and obstructionist democrats.
Promises should be fulfilled, and threats are meaningless without consequences. I believe in the filibuster. It is a necessary tool to prevent tyranny by majority fiat; however, it requires either putting your money where your mouth is, or shutting the hell up. The Democrats' unwillingness to force action on Republican (or other useless would be Democrats--I'm talking to you Droopy Dog) filibuster threats allows OUR agenda to be hijacked using simple words.
