I teach government in order to earn my keep in life. And a routine part of any lesson about government is to discuss the importance of compromise in political life. It comes up over and over again: to govern effectively, one must compromise.
I get that the filibuster is one of those tools of compromise. Hell, one of the questions on a recent exam I wrote asked students to analyze the legislative effects of the filibuster. Hint: the answer is that the prospect of a filibuster forces compromise.
But today, the filibuster and a complete unwillingness to compromise killed repeal of DADT in the U.S. Senate, the capital of Washington D.C. dysfunction. My disappointment in my government is as great as my frustration.
There's talk of trying again and I hope that it's a meaningful re-do. Because I just don't know what else to say to my students, my child, or to my fellow citizens. We should be better than this.
We must be better than this.
I'm telling you, we need to go British up in here. Burn some shit down. Throw cappuccinos and shit at the Presidential motorcade.
ReplyDeleteThe word verification is jingeses. I might use that instead of "Senators". Jinges Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska). That works.