Will of the People
The Republican Party has been saying something that scares me. They have said that using the filibusters defies the will of the majority and that thus the will of the American people. What scares me about this statement is the implication that Democracy is majority rule.
The Romans had a republic. In a republic, citizens elect representatives who vote upon their behalf. All rules determined by majority vote of these elected representatives. This system repeatedly gave control of the government to the military or dictatorship. Only by revolution did the citizens regain control.
Unlike a Republic, a (liberal) Democracy has rules are in place to protect the individual from the danger of majority rule. The bill of rights is an example of these protections. As is the rules of the Senate.
This week the congress will likely change the rules they work under. By majority vote they will end the filibuster for judicial nominees. In doing so, they will break a number of Senate rules (paragraph 1 of rule V, paragraph 2 of rule V, and paragraph 2 of rule XXII) and ignoring the advice of the Senate Parliamentarian. By majority vote they will change the way our Democracy works.
The justification they are using is that of the will of America. In the last election the majority of American voted republican, therefore that is the only voice that should be herd in Congress. Polls show a majority of American do not agree with this rules change or the nomination of right wing judges. They are not protecting the majority. The Republican Party is giving your government to a minority of right wing Christians.
It is very telling that a party that won the 2000 presidential election without a majority rule would now be using majority rule as justification.
Update 5/24
A group of centrist senators put together a bipartisan deal that would allow 3 of the 5 nominees to go forward. This deal was forged without help form either the extreme right or extreme left. The administration still refuses to work with the minority or the centrists and will continue to push for an up or down vote on the remaining nominees.
"The Senate will continue to function and there won't be a meltdown, so I think that's where the real victory is" - Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska
Peace in our time...