Jamelle Bouie: How a Democratic majority could change the system

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. Nothing changes without expanding the court and abolishing the filibuster

Dems can no longer govern based on a fear of what republicans might do if they regain power- after all, republicans don’t govern in fear of what Democrats might do.

Abolishing the filibuster when Dems hold the trifecta gives them an open opportunity to govern fearlessly, unhesitatingly and progressively, with every bill getting an up or down vote on the record. No more excuses, shrugging and saying to constituents “gridlock- whaddya gonna do?”

If Dems govern effectively without the obstruction of the filibuster, then it will likely be decades before republicans once again win the trifecta of power, and if they do, then every bill they try to ram through will get an on the record, up or down vote as well.

Good, effective governance requires courage, rather than hiding behind an archaic procedural smokescreen obscuring accountability.