Op-Ed Columnist - No Holds Barred - NYTimes.com:

People, can't we have a citizen revolt over this? It's all about the filibuster rule. The Obama administration is hamstrung because the Senate now requires 60 votes to get anything done, from health care reform to the confirmation of the woman whoโ€™s going to oversee building maintenance.


No, no revolt necessary nor even advisable. You can only fine-turn a representative government so far. If you are given two choices of government -- 1.) one that was able to make snap decisions on important matters but, at times, make important decisions too quickly or 2.) one that protected itself from snap decisions but also, at times, can't figure out how to tie its own shoe -- I hope you select the second. If the invasion of Iraq shows us anything, it's that we are likely a few checks and balances away from fully implementing the second form of forced deliberative government.

If anything, what the 59-40/41 split is telling us is that the current "Obama" healthcare plan isn't the overwhelmingly obvious will of the people. Want to pass your agenda? Stop whining about the rules. Go out and convince more people.

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