MN-SCourt rules in favor of Sen.Al Franken(Coleman concedes)

[Pablo Sanchez]

I know, but I'm still skeptical that suddenly Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu and the Senators from Wal-Mart Arkasas among others will have a sudden change of heart after hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from big insurance.

It sort of comes down to Harry Reid's long running, utter inability to force an actual filibuster. The idea that 60 votes are needed to get Senate business done, that cloture is an automatic obstacle, has become ingrained in the Senate as well as in media coverage of it. The reality is, of course, that if you want to filibuster, you actually have to get in front of the C-SPAN cameras and talk for hours about bullshit in order to prevent a bill from passing. Harry Reid's preference since 2006 has been to fold like a cardboard suitcase in front of the mere threat of a filibuster, because he is in awe of the concept of the "sensible centrist" who is "serious" about getting work done. But for something as popular as functional health care reform that includes a public option (supported by like 70% of voters) you've got to have some balls to publicly come down against it. I think that a filibuster still come off, but the people actually performing the filibuster and the people who voted against cloture would look like total dogshit for several days running. The next time their seat comes up, any (D) who voted against cloture could be looking at a muscular primary challenge, and any (R) is going to be worrying about the ads his opponent will run in the general. That kind of thing is scary and could make the filibuster fold after public disapproval started moving. Of course it's equally likely that the media would completely fumble the coverage and produce a shitpile of mindless middle wanking about procedural politics and horse-races, because they're a bunch of out-of-touch technocratic geeks who like to masturbate about political give-and-take while real people suffer, but shit, it's worth a try.

But it will never happen because Harry Reid is a tactically inept jellyfish.

[erik_t]

That is frustratingly true. I am as blue as you'll find but I would LOVE to lose a single dem Senate seat next cycle, that of course being Reid's. Dick Durbin (current Dem Whip) would be infinitely preferable, and I say that as someone who knows literally nothing about him.

[CmdrWilkens]

That is frustratingly true. I am as blue as you'll find but I would LOVE to lose a single dem Senate seat next cycle, that of course being Reid's. Dick Durbin (current Dem Whip) would be infinitely preferable, and I say that as someone who knows literally nothing about him.

Durbin is probably not the best choice in that he is more of the centrist compromise side of the house and rarely, if ever, puts forward anything resembling partisan push. He is, what I would call an excellent technician in terms of actually operating the machinery of the democratic caucus but I don't think he actually stands for anything. He is like a competent version of Reid. If you were to ask me who shoudl be Majority Leader and has a decent shot at it I would go for Schumer. The guy knows how to work the money, so he can use cash to keep members in line, he isn't overtly partisan but his voting indexs rate him as better than mainline Dem and he has an actual personality for the cameras. He is also high enough on the leadership totem pole that a vacancy above could mean his movement into the Majority Leader's Chair.

[erik_t]

I only say Durbin because AFAIK, the Whip usually replaces the Majority Leader when the opportunity arises and the party-in-control does not change.

[Steve]

If the Democratic majority is that ineptly led, maybe there is some sad truth to the idea that God, to paraphrase a quote to how the Repubs probably think it should apply, "protects children, fools, drunkards, and the GOP".