[Pilsner]

Folks, if we ever get a Republican President, Senate and House, they will have to make massive changes to do any good. Just tinkering around the edges of our fiscal, Obamacare and regulatory Charlie Foxtrot may help a bit, in a marginal way, but it won't change the fact that we are on a collision course with catastrophe.

It takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate. The Republican high mark in the last century was 59 in 1920 That was over 60% of the then 96 seats in the Senate. Thanks to losing seats three cycles in a row, the Republicans only hold 8 seats in the Senate "class" that was just elected, and the Democrats hold 25. Which means the Democrats hold just 30 seats of the 67 seats up the the next two general elections. Do you think that the Republicans are going to defend 37 seats in those two elections, and pick up a net of 15, giving them 60 seats? Me either.

So to have any shot at all of passing big legislation, if the Republicans somehow win the Presidency, Senate and House in 2016, the filibuster rule has to be changed. Do you think that "Majority Leader" Mitch McConnell is going to change the filibuster rule, with the Democrats and press yelling and screaming? Me either.

So we need Harry Reid to do it for us. The downside will be bad, but the upside could save the Country.

[knarf]

Bump for later digestion

[Resettozero]

So we need Harry Reid to do it for us. The downside will be bad, but the upside could save the Country.

Perhaps so. But waiting for another election may not work as well now as in the past. It appears some on FR may be confusing passivity for patience. Reid is sure doing it TO us while some FReepers hope he may do something inadvertently FOR us.

[palmer]

So to have any shot at all of passing big legislation, if the Republicans somehow win the Presidency, Senate and House in 2016, the filibuster rule has to be changed.

Even if we had the seats and the filibuster override it will never happen. The changes go against too many special interests that senators (especially) are beholden to and they will never vote to cut their power. The only thing that will fix this mess is default and reset.

[ScottinVA]

Folks, if we ever get a Republican President, Senate and House

With the electorate currently at D+6 (probably more as time goes on)? It's extremely unlikely we're ever going to see that again.