Has Harry Reid's naivte cost Pres. Obama the election?

[matmar]

...and subsequently the existence of what's left of the middle class?

By not blowing up the filibuster Reid enabled the obstructionists to stop all the Progressive legislation that was passed in Nancy Pelosi's House.

The Republicans, if they take the Senate will certainly do such an act to pass the Ryan Budget.

[cliffordu]

1. Concern duly noted.

[SunsetDreams]

11. +1

[Kahuna]

16. +1

[msanthrope]

2. You are missing an 'e' and your concern is noted! Welcome to DU! nt

[11 Bravo]

4. Yep, it should be spelled "trolle".

[Ikonoklast]

12. Fuck me sideways, that made me laugh!

Yew, Goode Sir, are a Randy Merrie-Maker!

[msanthrope]

13. You know how much ginger ale hurts, coming through the nasal passages? nt

[MadHound]

3. Sorry, but the filibuster shouldn't be done away with,

After all, if the 'Pugs get the House, Senate and White House, what is to prevent the passage of the Ryan budget? Oh, yeah, the filibuster, if the Dems will use it.

[cthulu2016]

6. I think the OP's point is that

the pugs, in the current form, will not think twice about eliminating the filibuster, so it will not benefit Dems in the minority.

Not supporting the OP categorically, just noting that point.

[Coexist]

5. wow... I've taken note of your concern

and will give this the thoughtful attention it deserves

[Swede Atlanta]

7. I have a different take.....

During the Internet boom of the late 1990's, many credible pundits said this ushered in an entirely new type of economy that was insulated from the bust-and-boom cycles of the past. Well we know how well that turned out.

While I think Reid could have been more forceful on some occasions, had he pulled the filibuster "trigger" which I believe the Senate rules allow, the filibuster, designed as a means to protect the minority party, would be gone forever. Once the Repukkkes took back the Senate (would eventually happen), they would deny the minority any opportunity to block majority rule.

This would likely not be good in the long-term. I think the filibuster, as originally envisioned, that forced the minority party to actually engage in emotional, intellectual and physical prowess, was probably a good thing.

Now, it is entirely possible that the pukkkes will do this anyway when they are again in the majority, even if Reid had not pulled the trigger. That is a calculus and something Democratic politicians need to be prepared to manage.

[Enrique]

8. the filibuster gives them an excuse

there are quite a few issues where neither party wants to enact popular legislation, and the filibuster allows them to say "oh we really were in favor of this but we don't have a filibuster-proof majority." Naivete has nothing to do with it and it's not just Harry Reid.

[Poll_Blind]

9. ^ This.

PB

[BumRushDaShow]

10. And I only thought

that the freaks came out at night.

[matmar]

15. Glad you're soo sure of Obama's re-election...

....Romney certainly is a clown. But seeing that some polls have him practically even with Obama without having spent Karl Roves money yet has me concerned.

This election should never had been close. I blame that on many things. One if them is my opinion about Harry Reid and the Senate.

Had the Pelosi House legislation sailed thru Harry Reid's Senate, not only would Obama be cruising in a landslide, the disastrous 2010 elections would have been different.

[musiclawyer]

14. I agree with the sentiment in part

Reid should have seen what was coming in 2010. I did. Many here did. He knew that he needed 51 votes to do anything. Anything. I was for going nuke then. Heck I would have been happy with a simple change in the rules to make the GOP do a real filibuster on the floor. Harry thought he was making a gentlemens agreement with Mitch MC, which of course was reneged on at first chance and ever since. Reid by act of omission effectively put the senate on hiatus for two years. For all intents and purposes there has been no Senate for meaningful advancement of legislation the past two years.

This tiny bit of malpractice however will not cost POTUS another term. Rigged DRE machines, voter suppression and CU will have accomplished that.

If POTUS gets through in any event, Reid has no choice. He has to go nuclear because he will have the same senate count as now at best. The Country cannot afford to have another two years where NOTHING gets throught the Senate. POTUS needs tangible accomplishements in 2013 and 2014 (and I'm not talking about the ACA) to bury the modern GOP once and for all. He had his chance in 2008 and blew it. This cannot happen again.