Civility and bipartisan governing are not at risk. They are long gone as far as Republicans are concerned and still alive and well within the big Democratic tent. “Bi-partisan governing” left the station in 2008 when Republicans swore to make Obama a one-term President and blocked every effort to move the country forward. Civility ended in 2020 with the Republican support of the uncivilized lying, bullying and racism of our forty-fifth President. Meanwhile, the dictatorial court packing partisanship of Mitch McConnell continued the paralysis in the Senate.
It is long past time to face the reality that even the oath to preserve and protect our Constitution sworn by every official has lost any meaning for Republicans given their participation in attempting to overthrow the 2020 election results and their continuing endorsement of The Big Lie.
We are experiencing nothing less than an all-out war to destroy our Democracy as evidenced by the naked Republican efforts to undermine voting rights and the fair administration of elections in state after state. Efforts to force a government shutdown or debt default are further evidence of their willingness to destroy the temple of Democracy to prevent Democrats from governing.
The integrity of our judiciary has been destroyed. We must end the filibuster and restore majority rule in the Senate before the rest of our institutions are destroyed too. If we can’t do that, then at least let’s use reconciliation to accomplish as much as we can to restore fair taxation, rebuild our human and physical infrastructure, and save the environment and our economy.