The only possible way for Democrats to succeed ...

[Kablooie]

The only way to get ANY legislation passed is to get the Senate GOP to ALL agree not to filibuster or to get some of them to vote AYE.

If the Democrats can not produce one of these two situations, they shall remain stymied and will become one of the biggest do nothing Congresses in American history. (And when the country is under historical stress, by the way, and is in need of helpful legislation more than in normal times.)

The problem is that just saying no has been an EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE strategy for the Republicans. It makes the Democrats look ineffective and creates absolutely NO POLITICAL FALLOUT for the GOP.

In fact evidence shows that it may even help them win votes. If, when elections come around, Democrats have not voted in legislation to start fixing things up, who get kicked out? Not the Republicans because THEY weren't in charge. Democrats disappear and new Republicans pop up to take their place.

The Republicans have found a simple strategy where they can destroy any progress and damage the country all they want and ONLY DEMOCRATS GET THE BLAME. It's a great place to be if you are a minority party who cares nothing about what effect your actions have on the people.

It seems to me the only way out of this is to get out and actively reveal the truth. If the average person in the street realizes that Republicans created this mess and Republicans are preventing us from getting out, things might change. It would take a huge, clever publicity campaign that would have to be louder than Fox News and the hundreds of radio stations that spew the Republican propaganda 24 hours a day. A monumental task.

If this can't be done, we are in for more decades of Republican rule and with the new SCROTUM ruling last week, Republicans may become the permanent rulers of America for the rest of our natural lives, like it or not.

[BunkerHill24]

1. Rethugs have developed strategy to be seen as if they are not elected politicians

and they are outside of the beltway politics. Democrats, on the other hand, are always seen as part of what's wrong with our "government" whether they are in the minority or in the majority in Washington. It is time to change that perception and hold the Rethugs accountable.

[lib_wit_it]

2. Yes, because too many Americans are fucking simple-minded, selfish, hateful, closed-minded, morans

who wouldn't know a great president if he provided them with the best government in decades. Yet the "leaders" listen to their every whine and act on it against the reasonable and semi-reasonable majority. Just visit Freeperville, or You Tube, or the other and you'll want to move to another planet and join a new species, after showering vigorously and vomiting a few time, not in that order.

[SergeStorms]

3. Gott'a agree with you there........

Most Americans can't see past the end of their noses. And the GOP has an uncanny knack of being able to persuade Americans to vote against their own best self interests time and time again. :banghead: They play to their prejudices, fear, self pity and egos. And it most often seems to work. Here's hoping that Americans pull their heads out of the sand, or their asses, and look past the end of their noses for once in their lives.

[Kablooie]

4. Boener actually has more power than Obama.

He has the power to prevent any legislation from passing.
And he's exercising that power on every single bill.

This strategy is so effective for the GOP that the only way to change it would be to find a way to seriously threaten him.
He will not change at all except under extreme pressure.

The Democrats had that power when they were the minority but did not use it.

[rbixby]

5. Why don't they just force a real fillibuster?

Give the republicans the rope to hang themselves with, that's always been my take on it.

[Kablooie]

7. I agree but they seem to prefer to hand over the next administration to the GOP than do this.

[asdjrocky]

6. How did Bush do it?

He got everything he wanted with only 55.

[Kablooie]

8. Democrats, honorably, did not filibuster every bill. Filibuster is supposed to be an extreme measure

[JHB]

10. Threats, and Party discipline on his side, lack of same on ours.

The Republicans tend to vote as a block, with only a small percentage going against the Party Line, if that. Between like-minded conservative Democrats, deal making with others, and threatening the rest with crucifying them with the blame if he lost and anything went wrong, there were usually enough votes to push through what he wanted.

[Kablooie]

12. It only takes one senator to filibuster though. Even without discipline that could happen.

[JHB]

9. Join the "Make an Issue of Republican Obstrution and Partisanship" club

Two years ago Glenn Greenwald had an article tracking the congressional Republicans' lockstep voting patterns and really demonstrating how one-sided the real partisanship in Washington was.

That's something which could be updated, expanded, and used to kick the Republicans in the teeth. It should be brought up every time a Democrat gets face time in the media. Ridicule them with a weekly "Lockstep Watch" (complete with visuals of Soviet soldiers goose-stepping through Red Square in May Day parades) that keeps a running tally of how many times the Republican's voting pattern resembles Soviet election results (95%+ toeing the Party Line). Make an issue of it.

At the very least you'll give some of the "moderates" the option of playing the "showing my independence" card instead of only feeling the teabag contingent breathing down their necks from the right. Every one you can chip off gives us more leverage for better bills. And if you can manage to chip enough off, they'll splinter all on their own.

[Kablooie]

11. Good point. I hope someone takes this up. I like the goosestep analogy.