The thing to keep in mind when talking about the use of filibusters is that it requires strong party unity on the part of the minority. That simply doesn’t exist nowadays in the Democratic Party. We’ve been living that reality for the last few months on health care and the various finance measures. There are also very few real liberals (or progressives) in Congress. Many Democrats are conservatives who just couldn’t meet the ideological purity requirements of the modern GOP. They tend to vote with Republicans. Democrats vs. Republicans isn’t the only way to look at how power is distributed in DC. Progressives vs. conservatives is another way, and progressives are on the short end of that power lever.

2) Yes… and I think you might have misunderstood my point. I guess I’d be less eager to encourage Republicans to force Democrats to make good on their filibuster threats, but only for personal preference reasons. I still think it would be good strategy for Republicans to go ahead with 59 votes on something and make Democrats decide if it was really worth a real live filibuster. I think the political system as a whole is healthier if the mere possibility of a filibuster isn’t enough to make it as good as real, regardless of which party is the majority.

1) The longer a filibuster goes, the more likely that senators like Snowe or Lieberman will be able to push through significant modifications in the bill in exchange for their vote(s) to end debate. No doubt that is why Lieberman said he would vote to open debate but not to end it. Remember what happened earlier this year with that economic stimulus bill and how just three GOP senators were able to substantially change it. I am concerned about a bill which mandates that everyone purchase health insurance through monopolistic corporations that are exempt from the Federal Anti-Trust Act. That would be a regression, not reform (in my opinion). But if Snowe and Lieberman get their way, I’m afraid that’s what we’ll finally get (with Obama signing it into law with much fanfare).

2) On the other hand, every time a party gets into power, they act as if they will always have it. For now, having the votes to filibuster health care reform favors the minority Republicans. But 3-4 years ago, the Democrats often employed this strategy to further their own agenda. I guarantee you that the Dems will some day (hopefully later, not sooner) once again be in the minority and will gladly use the filibuster and all of the other delaying tactics that the GOP is currently taking advantage of.