With the U.S. House having passed its version of health care reform, attention now moves to the U.S. Senate where Senator Joe Lieberman (I) and the Republicans are threatening to not allow a vote on a Senate version of health care reform where current Senate rules require 60 votes to end a filibuster.
Now is the time for Senate Democrats to stand tall against the threat of a GOP filibuster using any and all means at its disposal; including the possibility of invoking the "nuclear option" to move a bill forward with a simple majority vote and essentially end the use of filibusters in the Senate. Filibusters are a product of Senate procedural rules and not by any language in the Constitution.
Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist threatened to use the "nuclear option" procedure in 2005 to push through President George W. Bush's judicial nominees. One could easily argue health care reform is at least as worthy of the same consideration. This would also strip Senator Lieberman (I) of his current misplaced leverage and allow him to become the Republican he longs to be.
Update: The Daily Record published my letter stating the above in their November 12, 2009 edition.
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