Because the Republican Party will filibuster everything that comes to a vote, major or minor, from now on in their pursuit of driving the government to failure.

It is the Newt Gingrich Shutdown all over again.

And, unless the Democrats grow a spine (unlikely), it will work perfectly and Republicans will take over Congress in 2010 or 2012 (whereupon the number will go back to 50, since Republicans will invoke the Nuclear Optoin that Democrats are too weak to do.)

I don't know where you've been for the past three years, but the GOP had used this tactic on every substantive isssues that has come up since the Democrats gained control of the Congress after the 2006 elections.

In the last Congress (2006-8) the GOP DOUBLED the old record for filibusters in on Congressional session. Ironically, it was thier own record.

The party of no has had a solid record of obstruction now for years.

I don't know where you've been for the past three years, but the GOP had used this tactic on every substantive isssues that has come up since the Democrats gained control of the Congress after the 2006 elections. I seem to recall that some repubs unfortunately voted for the stimulus bill and the omnibus spending bill as well. If the Dems were not so power hungry and extreme left, they would get more bipartisan support. They structure these bills behind closed doors , dont allow any repub input and vote against all their proposed amendments. They reap what they sow.

(a) there is no amount of compromise or moderation which would lead to the GOP ending its strategy of filibustering anything, so it's useless to even try. If the Democrats put forward a bill praising ice cream and motherhood, the GOP would filibuster it.

(b) the unwillingness of some Democratic senators to vote against a filibuster should cause the utter and complete evaporation of money being donated to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. If they can't show enough party loyalty to vote for cloture, fuck 'em. Don't donate a nickel to the DSCC until the Democratic senators themselves start showing a little interest in the party as a whole.

Um, no.

The stimulus bill, as enacted, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/­POLITICS/02/06/stimulus/index.­html">was a bipartisan compromise</a>. Still, no Repubs voted in favor of the final bill.

The Health Care Reform bills were debated in committees and included both Repubs and Dems. On the other hand, when the Repubs controlled both houses, they didn't give the Dems any input at all. Conference committees were absolutely closed to Dems.

Repub version of bipartisanship is, "give us everything we ask for, or we'll hold our breath until we turn blue."

Steve, how many times do I have to point out that the Dems have the numbers. Your problem is within your party. Unfortunately for you, all dems dont come from extreme left districts or states. So quit crying about the republicans which I know you hate.

But Steve there is good news. if the public option doesnt get in the bill, it will mean you won't have to endure long lines, lower quality care , and rfationed healthcare. The Repubs may save your life one of these days. There are many ways to solve the problems we have besides destroying a system which 85% of all people are satisfied.

Your problem is within your party.

Correct. Democrats are too spineless to treat Republicans exactly the way Republicans treated Democrats when they controlled Congress. In the interest of being open minded, Democrats have become spineless. And will receive no credit whatsoever for giving Republicans much more say in legislation that Democrats ever got from a Republican Congress.

But Steve there is good news. if the public option doesnt get in the bill, it will mean you won't have to endure long lines, lower quality care , and rfationed healthcare. The Repubs may save your life one of these days. There are many ways to solve the problems we have besides destroying a system which 85% of all people are satisfied.

Americans are already enduring rationed health care. Rationed by insurance companies who low-bid their way into employer contracts.

And, other than banning all malpractice lawsuits (which would only save 2% of costs, because that is all that malpractice costs out of medical costs), Republicans have no solutions, other than they hate anything that might be supported by Barak Obama. A party that goes crazy with hate even when President Obama wishes to give a speech telling children to study hard in school will hate and oppose anything. I do not hate Republicans, I just decry their obsessive hatred of anyone not up to their ideological purity.

My source (unlike Republicans, we cite sources and do not "make our own reality")

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There seems to be a minor epidemic of conservatives (partucularly the radical right wing type) to use the bold font as a way of making an argument that holds on water otherwise.

Not only did not one single Republican vote for the final stimulus bill, but your bold rant completely ignored my notes of the GOP record of using the filibuster to block conduct of the nation's business, as it has been doing since January of 2007.

Sorry, but your talking points are lies.