I shouldn’t get so bent out of shape over a politician’s or a political party’s lack of intelligent decision-making, decisions which ignore past behavior of those you need to deal with. Harry Reid ‘s decision not to pursue real filibuster reform is such a naïve, self-serving decision. It is naïve, because Senator Reid can’t believe for one minute that Mitch McConnell and the Republicans will change their ways for the good of the country. It’s self-serving because not dealing with Republicans’ ruthless use of the filibuster is easier for him personally but ignores the needs of the people: appointments, treaties and support that nurture us, for example.

Consider that we the people only have the Democratic Party to represent our interests. Republicans are totally committed to the top one per-cent in terms of wealth and income. Harry Reid, as the representative of the Democratic majority in the Senate, betrayed the interests of the people. It’s bad enough that we have a radicalized Republican House of Representatives, meaning we have little hope of real change in areas of need: education, infrastructure, slowing down climate change, tax reform, and jobs – to name only some of the problems that Republican obstructionism continues to smother.

But now Reid has made it impossible for Obama to appoint reasonable people to important administrative and judicial positions because we all know the Republican minority in the Senate will block them, especially if they involve programs that help the people, like the National Labor Review Board appointments, EPA regulatory behavior, regulation of the banks, or appointments to the courts. That also begs the question, “Where was the pressure coming from President Obama for filibuster reform?

Any reasonable person plans ahead to avoid the consequences of the past, namely allowing Republican partisan bullies in all positions of government to thwart any progress that helps the people. Failure comes from many quarters.

Remember your schoolyard days: everything is a fight against bullies who need to have their way.

Now we have had dark periods in our history, involving oppression of the people by the powerful. Sadly nothing changes unless a party is committed or the people are active – or both. Only when a long enough period of abuse passes and enough people are affected does anything seem to happen to change the oppression of the majority.

The time has come again. Occupy was only a small start. Enough of us did not push Harry Reid to do the smart and the right thing. Did you make phone calls to your Senator or to Harry Reid? Unfortunately we have to be as raucous, perhaps even as ruthless, as the Republicans have been, especially since Bill Clinton’s term as president.

Until we commit to such attentiveness and insistence for action on our behalf, the Harry Reid’s who represent us poorly will continue to do so.

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