One thing I hope that centrist Democrats understand is that the American people do not care one little iota whether Obama’s proposals pass through the Senate using normal procedure or through the use of the budget reconciliation process. The people voted for Obama and he retains a high level of popularity and confidence. The people support his health care and energy plans. If those plans do not pass through the Senate because we cannot muster 60 votes, the people are going to be unhappy. If those plans pass with 51 votes by using the budget reconciliation process (which precludes use of the filibuster) the people are going to be relieved.
I understand that Democratic centrists want to use their leverage to dictate legislative outcomes and that they need the filibuster to do that. But no one else cares about their precious leverage. We don’t want all legislation to be dictated by Sens. Snowe, Collins, Specter, Lincoln, Nelson (D-NE), and Bayh. And, if Obama’s signature proposals do not pass, the people are going to blame the Democrats and Obama, not the Republicans. If we can’t pass legislation when we have 58 senators and a huge majority in the House, then we are worthless.
