Thursday night Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky held a three-hour filibuster on the measure that would extend COBRA benefits to the many unemployed people. Instead of letting it go to a vote, Bunning led a one-man filibuster against the needed funding for the bill. When asked by some Democrats to allow the COBRA bill to go to a vote. Bunning’s answer was that he did not give a sh*t about the bill.
This is a prime example how Washington is broken and that leadership of the Republican Party cannot control their members. About one year ago Representative Joe Wilson yelled at the President "You Lie," which was blatant disrespect to the Presidency. The inability for the Republican Party to control their members casts a bad light on them and this country.
To put Bunning’s filibuster in terms of his old profession baseball would be like a pitcher coming into the seventh inning for a relief appearance. That the pitcher’s side had the lead, but knows that they are going to lose and calls for the catcher for a mound visit. Instead of resuming the game, they have a talk until the Umpire has to call the game off because it is no longer safe to play and awards the stalling team the win. The fans feel cheated by a selfish action by the pitcher to secure victory. As the people file out of the game two things happen, distrust with the team on the mound and distrust in the league's ability to conduct itself in a meaningful way. Any sports league would be bankrupt if this tactic could work, but in the representative bodies in Washington it is fair game.
It is important for all of us to call our representative and work on items that move ideas forward instead of stalling items for personal and political gain.
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