Senate Democrats Show No Courage By Keeping The Filibuster by Robert Covington Jr.

For the past six years the Democratic Senate have been in an abusive relationship with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and it has been painful to watch. McConnell, with the soul of a sociopath and the mind of a narcissist, exhibited behavior that would be analogous to the heartless father that constantly exerts fear and power over his wife and children. In this case, the Democratic Senate represents the wife and the American people represents the children that McConnell constantly abuses, exploits and psychologically tortures at every opportunity.

Mitch McConnell has used his power with the emotional and psychological intent to remind the Democratic Senate (the wife) that you do not matter to him, that you exist at the whim of his command and whenever you attempt to challenge or question his authority, he quickly puts you in your place and proclaims that I control you. This was evident in his policies, shattering of Senatorial norms and making up his own rules (denying Obama the opportunity to fill the Supreme Court seat after Antonin Scalia died) when it suited his desires. McConnell’s children (the American people) had a feeling that things should not be this way and that the Democratic Senate(mommy) was not happy but did not truly grasp how miserable things really are.

As with any abusive relationship that occurs over an extended period, there comes a flashpoint of awareness where the person realizes that he/she is in something that is unhealthy and dangerous and begin to verbalize to others the dire situation that the family finds themselves in, but not ready to leave yet. Over the years we have watched the Democratic Senate (mommy) complain about how unfair, mean and uncaring McConnell is, but did not use every mechanism of the Senate rules to slow down the abuse. The Senate Democrats did not act in uniformity on behalf of their children (American people) nor did they speak to the media and their constituents about what is happening with the urgency that was required. The Senate Democrats were not willing to do something meaningful to end the abusive relationship.

In the next phase of the abusive relationship for some, outside voices of support (in this case it is the American people by voting McConnell out of Majority Leader) begin to have a positive impact on the abused (Democratic Senate) in giving her the confidence that you can leave the relationship. Family and friends start talking about escape routes such as finding shelters and protection programs (in this case it would be getting rid of the filibuster). The abuser (McConnell) senses that you are contemplating leaving the relationship and tries to manipulate, scare and up the ante on the victim (McConnell demanding that newly minted Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to keep the filibuster option in place).

The Democratic Senate (mommy) is in its most critical and life changing phase in their abusive relationship at the hands and mind of their unrepentant abuser Mitch McConnell. The Democratic Senate knows that McConnell will not change and does not care at all about his children (the American people). But often we find the children in the abusive relationship trying to protect their abusive father (in this case it is people like Senate Democrat Joe Manchin and President Joe Biden) in their push and pull with the Democratic Senate (mommy) to not leave the abusive relationship and keep the filibuster in place.

What we do know is this, if the abused (the Democratic Senate) somehow convinces itself to remain in the abusive relationship with Mitch McConnell and do not abandon the filibuster, the children (the American people) will continue to endure unnecessary pain and suffering. Anyone that has left an abusive relationship will tell you about the many days and nights that it took to get the courage to leave, the faith that it will turn out okay and the hope that their children will ultimately understand and are safe.

Early indications suggest that the Democratic Senate (the mother) are not ready to leave the abusive relationship with Mitch McConnell(dad). Discussions about reconciliation, (which is limited to strict financial legislation and leaves out other issues such as voting rights, climate change and democratic structural reform that are equally important) tells us that the Democratic Senate and Biden are willing to expose their children (the American people) to further abuse and to see how much more suffering that their children and themselves are willing to endure before they even consider having the courage to leave the relationship.

Damn it.

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