McConnell cautions Democrats on nixing the filibuster

[Hortensis]

33. Yes, corrupt, unprincipled McConnell Republicans have

been grossly misusing the filibuster keep Democrats from accomplishing anything. But that's not minority rule; and using it as intended, very rarely in special situations, does not create minority rule either. It tends to lead to negotiation and agreement both sides can live with when something is especially important to a minority group, but not always.

Btw, there's nothing simple and easy to understand about most legislative procedures and principles; as someone who wrote a book on this explained, by the time we hear about these issues they're usually twisted out of recognition and we don't understand what's at stake. Their critical principles and functions are never mentioned, just the current squabble.

The filibuster is intrinsically liberal as intended and is an essential check on abuses, both within the senate especially and through the federal government against the nation. McConnell's threatening Democrats, and that makes us want to spit in his crooked face because he abuses it to defeat democracy. Hopefully, at best he'll be gone next January, but at least that they'll be such a weak minority that they'll be forced to deal in something approaching good faith to get anything they want.

"I'll let you write the substance...you let me write the procedures, and I'll screw you every time." The late John Dingell, who knew how.