With the filibuster being the GOP weapon of choice in the Senate, this is probably a good time to put its abolition on the agenda for the next Congress. On paper, it shouldn't be difficult, since a bare majority of the Senate votes on its rules before it ever convenes, and the filibuster has traditionally been a conservatising influence on legislation. I know there are some with sugar-plum fantasies that the Democrats will pick up 6+ seats in 2008, even nine seats if Republicans continue to remain satisfied with the bang-up job their doing in Iraq, but more likely there still won't be enough votes to overcome Republican obstructionism when the issue is, say, healthcare or getting a progressive judiciary confirmed. We have to start thinking about what our agenda is going to be in post-Bush era on the morrow, and not just pretend that getting more Democrats elected is the End Game.