How critical is a filibuster proof majority for Obama to get his agenda through?

[TheCoxwain]

I mean if we get say 56 senate seats .. can't we cower 4 pukes into supporting us...

I am sure some of them will be coming up for election in 2010.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. 56 is not good enough...I'm with kos

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/9/11055/1670/758/624699

[Matariki]

7. That is a fantastic post from Kos

probably deserves it's own OP and link here...

[muntrv]

2. Very critical. There are no centrists in the republicker party and the

righties are shifting their funding to Senate races.

[yardwork]

3. Essential. Furthermore, it's essential to build a true Democratic majority

because even then we'll have a mostly right-center Congress and White House. The country has moved far to the right over the past decades. Democrats must have a veto-proof majority, a really stinking huge majority, before they will take even timid steps to the left. Think of all the Democrats defending their right-center seats - they can't be counted on to vote for anything progressive.

[damntexdem]

4. Absolutely essential -- whether with a few GOPS, or better with Dems alone.

And not counting on LIEberman.

[AndyA]

5. I think we're going to get a filibuster-proof majority.

I think by the time November 4 rolls around, Americans are going to be REALLY ANGRY. Especially if the stock market is still spiraling out of control. People are losing a fortune, and these are people who will vote for change just because they're angry.

I think their bigotry will take a back seat to their wallet.

[napi21]

6. It's essential mainly because you can't completely depend on EVERY

Dem to always vote with the Dems. You're talking about some Pubs crossing over. That well might happen, but there are also some Dems who could go the other way! Dems are NOT like the Pubs who can be bullied, threatened, and coerced into staying in line!

[Occam Bandage]

8. Absolutely important.

We can't do shit if they sit on everything.

[TheDonkey]

9. It's very important to dismantling the rethuglican party for GOOD

they will be completely shut out of federal power.

[Alter Ego]

10. 55-56 would be sufficient--57 or 58 would be ideal.

There are moderate Repubs who will support us on the critical stuff, but we will have to work across the aisle to get the tough stuff passed. That's part of politics, and it's not going away. Neither are the Republicans.

[R. P. McMurphy]

11. Why are we afraid of the filibuster?

As long as the Dems take the high road and actually work for the betterment of the people there is no problem. If they (the Republicans) want to be obstructionist - FINE - let them get on the floor and defend their BULLSHIT position. It will all be on CSPAN2 for America to see. After they spend all the time that a REAL filibuster requires, they will be exhausted from their idiotic effort and won't be nearly as likely to call for filibuster in the future.

What the Democrats have to do is get away from this *new* filibuster concept - that they can say filibuster and we just drop the legislation (assuming we don't have the 60 votes) without making them pay the price of talking and holding the Senate floor.

[iceman66]

12. Absolutely critical.

The Repubs were able to brand the present Congress as "do-nothing" when the primary reason that Congress was not able to get much done was Mitch McConnell's obstructionist tactics in the Senate.

Hopefully HIS seat will be the one that gets us to 60!

[Thrill]

13. Its good. But you still have to worry about wimpy Dem Senator not supporting the Progressive Agenda

[TheCoxwain]

14. New Deal passed because republican were scared shitless into supporting it

A majority of the politicians are 'finger in the wind' types - very few are real ideologues.

If they sense shifting winds - expect a bunch of them ( republicans and dems) to start singing new tunes. A increased democratic majority will act a signal for shifting winds and I dont expect too much resistance to popular programs ( especially senators who represents vast swaths of people) ...

That is why I dont think a filibuster proof majority to get a lot of the campaign promises executed ...especially under the current financial environment.

[andym]

15. critical!

why did Hillary's health care fail in 1994?

Bob Dole