This all boils down to a failure on Reid's part to get rules that allow a 60-senator majority to get uncontroversial business done. Back when each Senator was an institution, and parties had imperfect control at best, the fact that an impassioned individual senator could gum up the works was an interesting quirk. But in today's parliamentary environment, it's irrelevant. The Republicans have fairly reasonably sized up the fact that their base hates Obama much, much more than they care about America, and they're representing their people. Time to accept this and do the business of the country without them.

The Republicans have fairly reasonably sized up the fact that their base hates Obama much, much more than they care about America

Good point - thinking of the right wing that way clears up up a lot of "wtf?" questions I've had since January