Congratulations to the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the majority party, Senate Democrats. The passive bear was poked too many times and woke up to the sick and sad reality of a broken democracy. The Democrats did it. They executed a rule change and launched the "nuclear option" known as the killer of the 60 vote filibuster-proof rule. After two national election cycles where Americans clearly signaled support for President Obama, he can now fully use his presidential executive constitutional authority. He can now be the Executive he was elected to be. He can now do what George W. Bush was able to do for eight years, which dramatically pulled the nation so far to the right. Much to the dismay of Republicans, President Obama can blunt some of W's influence and bring some balance back to the judicial equation. He was elected. He should have been able to do this long ago. But now he can appoint qualified people to fill judicial and executive agency positions to shape his agenda without senate Republicans abusing and perverting the filibuster to stifle his elected will. Sadly, it has taken five years, a ridiculous amount of patience and acquiescence on the part of Democrats, who have held the simple majority, the intended constitutional majority, to keep the functions of government efficient and in accordance with a democratic process. So much time has been lost to build the progressive agenda the country elected President Obama to orchestrate. So much appeasement and a "kumbaya" energy has been wasted reaching across the political aisle that was in reality a moat filled with crocs. Change we can believe in, yes we can. Maybe now?
This is a positive adjustment that will partially put the "majority" concept back into our democracy and end the recent tyranny by the minority. When and if the country rejects President Obama's time in office by voting out Democrats in upcoming elections, the will of a majority will have spoken. The next president, legislature and senate will have their opportunity. This was the democracy I learned about. A common interest of the nation governed by three branches of government with a system of checks and balances to prevent tyranny by the majority or minority. Majority rules, mostly. Republicans, you lost two presidential elections. Get over it. Become a partner in governing and put the majority back in democracy. In the meanwhile, I look forward to the Democrats 7-4 majority on the powerful D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to churn out the rulings. It has been several decades too long for this shift in the balance of power, a constitutional by-product of majority rules. Cheers to the filibuster as it was intended and best wishes to the next senator that honestly stands before the nation in the Senate Chamber holding their biological functions in check while relentlessly talking their opposition into submission. Welcome the majority back to democracy in America.