No Shit. Of COURSE Filibuster Reform Failed. But There's Hope On The Horizon.

[MannyGoldstein]

Filibuster reform cratered today, as any thoughtful observer knew it would: elected Democrats have made "we tried but we just can't stop the mean/crazy Republicans! They're so mean and crazy! Really, really mean and crazy!" their standard tactic for about a decade. And it's working great for them - they get to keep their seats because the mean/crazy Republicans look even worse than the "powerless" Democrats, and the 1% get to stay awash in vast torrents of 99% cash sent to them continuing horrific legislation.

So of course any reform that threatened their racket wasn't going to pass. Duh!

God forbid, if the filibuster had returned to being a nontrivial undertaking, elected Democrats would have to actually do stuff. Scary! Risky! Wall Street might be cross with them!

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder"
- George Washington

So, for the 99%, a guarantee of at least two more years of continued decline and austerity. Sucks to be us!

We'll get to watch amusing sideshows of Republicans doing staggeringly stupid stuff, and we laugh at them and are happy to not suck as bad as they do, while our country crumbles around us. The ranks of the homeless, the hungry, and the barely-hanging-on swell while we laugh our asses off at Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, and the rest of the crazies. Bread and circuses. But less bread - you know, we all need to sacrifice.

But the news isn't all bad. For the first time in a long time, we finally seem to have a small but coherent group of Democratic senators who really want to do the right thing. Merkley, Udall, Harkin, and Warren tried to help us. And Kerry's likely elected replacement, Ed Markey, can probably be counted on as well.

It's a start!

Moving forward, it's critical that we rank-and-file Democrats work to build upon this small group of FDR Democrats, to expand it until we have a Senate that once again works for working Americans.

I hope that all of DU commits to rebuilding our party back to being the protectors of "the rest of us". No more DLCThirdWay shapeshifting crypto-Republicanism. Enough!

We have a start. We can do this.

Onward!

Regards,

First-Way Manny

[DonCoquixote]

1. mark the calendar

I actually and agreeing with, and K and Ring a manny post. Congrartulations!

[MannyGoldstein]

8. Welcome to the Dark Side

Enjoy your stay!

[leftstreet]

2. Can a person get high snorting Dry Powder?

Just thinking there might be a silver lining here...

[southernyankeebelle]

3. Right of the bat that is what we need to do. Start recruiting FDR dems.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. 1 Party. 2 Faces.

[fascisthunter]

5. No Shit.... these folks are sick

beyond delusional...

[TheProgressive]

6. Personally, I am for going all out progressive/liberal/democratic on our country

It is funny - we know that our policies make civilization healthy and prosperous for
everyone. But, for some unknown reason, we are a scared to do the right thing.

Why is that? Is evil really more powerful?

[pscot]

7. Is there any leadership in that group?

Do they swing any weight? Apparently not on filibuster reform. They served as a stalking horse for Reed.

[MannyGoldstein]

9. They are a small group, facing a powerful and entrenched enemy

They need our help.

Let's do it!

[antigop]

10. No more DLCThirdway -- you expect this to resonate on DU? Really? Good luck with that.

[Nye Bevan]

11. Love your tongue-in-cheek posts!

This even beats your Hillary post!

[Pretzel_Warrior]

12. You are kidding. It will take another 10 years of decline

To create a true progressive backlash against the new gilded age.

[abelenkpe]

13. K&R nt

[BlueStreak]

14. And this neeeds to be a litmus test for any candidate wanting to succeed Obama in 2016

[TheKentuckian]

15. No way to the Turd Way!

[Luminous Animal]

16. First Way Manny? I'm confuzled.

[MannyGoldstein]

22. You think *you're* confused?

[gateley]

17. K&R, Manny!

[Chathamization]

18. Yep! We also need to

work hard to get strong progressive blocks in our local parties.

[boomerbust]

19. You can no longer blame

Republicans. Harry Reid is a bought and paid for hack FUCK HARRY REID!

[MannyGoldstein]

24. With all due respect...

Reid can only pass the legislation that his caucus will vote for. While he could have shown better leadership, I don't think we know the details of what he wanted himself.

I'm somewhat defensive of Reid because he's the only Democratic leader who has dependably defended Social Security, so I think he has some (and perhaps a lot) of decency in him.

[mountain grammy]

20. We need to turn around state legislatures and fast

We did it in Colorado in 2012 and it wasn't easy, and it won't be easy to keep it that way. Republicans will cheat their way to power, then look out, the minority ruling the majority. That's how the Nazis did it.

[D23MIURG23]

21. K&R.

[idwiyo]

23. K&R