I agree with Chris Bowers, it’s time to change the rules of the Senate to end the practice of silent filibusters that Republicans are using to stifle the President’s agenda with no public debate. Bowers’ suggestion isn’t to go nuclear in the Bill Frist sense of removing all rights from the minority in the Senate to slow the majority’s legislative agenda, but to require filibusters to exist in public, with public debate, forcing the minority to defend their obstructionism. Most importantly, I don’t think the country can afford to wait until the Republicans use the lazy man’s filibuster to kill meaningful healthcare reform and energy policy reform. The time to make this change is now so we can have a fruitful public debate about the President’s agenda and why Republicans are so opposed to it.