Let the Republicans Filibuster. There has been some press about the inability for Senate Democrats to have enough votes for cloture to end debate on the latest Iraq war related amendments. I'll repeat again, some press on this issue. If the Republicans want to talk a bill to death then LET THEM. I think we have been missing a simple tool that we have at our disposal. Usually we think of a filibuster as a tool of the opposition but maybe it can be a tool for the majority.
Let the hours weigh on and then the days and so forth. What other business is there than ending the war in Iraq? If the Republicans want to tie up the senate with endless debate on amendments to the Iraq war bills, THEN LET THEM. The Webb amendment that failed yesterday is a perfect example. Leave the debate open. Let a few hours pass, then a half a day, then a full day, then two days. How will the press report this filibuster? I don't know but the Republicans will sure find themselves under alot of pressure to end the debate. Will the press completely ignore the fact that days have passed with no new business in the Senate because the GOP is filibustering a particular Iraq amendment? I can understand the logic that if we let the GOP filibuster then they will control the senate by simply keeping the chamber tied up. But LET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE THIS. I mean, really let the Republicans filibuster an amendment. I know that the Senate has alot of pressing business to vote on but really let a full blown filibuster permeate the media and the public. Not just the threat, not a 4 or 6 hour debate, I mean make it go on for days, force them to defend the indefensible over Iraq. Like the Webb amendment, after 3 days you'd have cocktail waitresses asking what the heck are the Republicans doing? Why won't they let this amendment come to a vote? I think this will crack up the remaining Republican coalition. The MSM will be forced to cover the GOP's filibuster tactic after a few days, and then they will be forced to defend their hypocrisy. The blogoshpere will just have a field day. If I've missed something let me know but I think that there is an overlooked strategy here. I think this only needs to be done once to get the point across.