The Magic 60

As the Republican Party continues imploding under the weight of it's own bigotry and hypocrisy another safe Senate seat is in play.  Between the David Vitters, Larry Craigs and Rick Santorums the Republicans keep putting Senate seats in play.  Now John Warner is retiring leaving an increasingly competitive Virginia in play.

The magic number is 60.  Sixty Senate seats and the filibuster is dead.  This is the number to vote for cloture, or end debate on a bill.  Sixty votes and the Employee Fair Choice Bill gets passed along with a host of other legislative agendas blocked by the GOP minority.  This year Republicans have filibustered 42 bills.  Because 60 votes are necessary to end this legislative obstruction that's the magic number next year for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Many Republican seats are in play from Maine and New Hampshire to Idaho and New Mexico.  Voters are fed up with the lack of progress and Democrats need to pin the blame on those 42 filibusters.  How pathetically have we failed to do this?  I was at a Congressional event this summer and a key Congressional aide didn't even know the number of filibusters.  Where's the PR machine?  Howard Dean and Chuck Schumer should be on every television network talking about the 42 filibusters and the bills they blocked.

Approval of Congress is abysmal, so bad they're actually below Bush.  Why?  Failure to conceive a message and get it to the public.  The message should be GOP obstruction and the solution:  60 Senate seats.  Tell the voters in these crucial races what's at stake when they vote next year and they'll do the right thing.

Comments

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

That is Schumer's job more than Dean, but both bare some responsibility. I think we have a real good chance of getting to 60, if we can get good candidates to run.

[John Morgan]

Republicans have to defend 22 seats next year. It isn't going to be a good year to run as a Republican. If we can at least get close, 57 or 58 we can pick off several Repubs for each vote depending on the issue.

[DC]

Yes, but you are making the obvious grand assumption that all 57 or 58 hypothetical D's will vote as 1 group on all issues.

We have the problem now of some D's defecting against filibuster cloture attempts.

Let's see if we can get the 60 first and then how much leg room the Dems have with their own, before aiming persuasion at the GOP vulnerable and persuadables.

I'm personally hoping things get real fun and some more Independents make it into the Senate next time around and get to play hell with the two-party clowns.

I'm feeling wryly anarchistic right now.

[LeeLevan]

"I'm feeling wryly anarchistic right now."

DC, Given the recent timid track record of the Dems, you have every reason to feel so.

[Joyful Alternative]

Go for 67 to overcome the veto, just in case.

[John Morgan]

Sixty will be difficult enough to attain much less 67. Of course I'm also assuming the next Prez won't be vetoing everything.