I noticed right after the "nuclear option" sideshow back in 2005 that the media began reporting that it took 60 votes in the Senate to pass legislation. I thought, huh? Was my high school civics class wrong? No, it was not. It suddenly took 60 votes to pass legislation in the Senate because of the filibuster, or I should say, the THREAT of a filibuster. Of course, the media did not say that, thereby giving the impression that it was always thus. Wrong.
This gentleman's agreement to compromise on legislation to avoid a filibuster, or dropping the bills entirely to avoid one, is a chickenshit response to blackmail. If the policy issues can truly be resolved to everyone's benefit, fine. But when the goal is pure obstructionism to feed the base, stop making it so damn easy. I'm speaking to you, Harry Reid. MAKE THEM FILIBUSTER! For every bill they obstruct, which is pretty much every bill sponsored by a Democrat, make them stand there and read the phone book for days on end. Universal healthcare--let cable news show them wasting time while more and more people lose their insurance. Banking regulation--let the whole country watch how they stall any true reform while 401k's circle the bowl even further.
To sum up, stop making it so easy for the Republicans to obstruct. Let the world see what and who they are. If they want to filibuster, fine. But really make them do it.