The better way to proceed is to make the filibuster radioactive politically by letting the Democrats talk themselves to death. Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves by their vocal cords.
Frist just needs to end the “virtual” filibuster and make the Democrats stage a real one, replete with quorum calls, 24/7 sessions and truly endless debate covered word for word by C-SPAN for all the nation to see — and ridicule.
In short, the idea is that the Democrats should be allowed to learn the hard way that there is a political cost associated with mounting a real filibuster. This had never occurred to me, but then I admit I'm not as knowledgeable about such things as I'd like to be.
The Republican leaders, and the Democratic majority leader before them, have allowed the filibuster to be rehabilitated in the public mind by agreeing not to stage one. The gentlemanly filibusters of the modern era, where each side concedes unless one has 60 votes, have permitted virtual filibusters that incur no public wrath.
Good point, that. For many of us, a filibuster and its consequences are sort of abstract concepts. Now that I think about this, I'm not so sure I'd support changing the rules to allow a simple majority vote to end debate. Instead, let them filibuster but remind them that a true filibuster is an option that should only be used in the extreme because there are repercussions for the party who engages in one as well as their opponents. Are the Democrats willing to pay the price such an action would exact? For how long and how many times? How about we find out.
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