McConnell filibusters McConnell, McCain blasts Paul, Demint criticizes Boehner, most Senate Republicans insult Bob Dole

In my recent column, Hillary: The next FDR, I suggested that Democrats are on the brink of winning a historic political realignment. This week a long list of Republicans appear determined to prove me right.

{mosads}Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) filibustered against his own debt-ceiling proposal after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called his bluff. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the most respected Republican on military issues, blasted freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) when Paul abused the rules to obstruct a major defense bill. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who probably realizes Republicans are consigned to long-term minority status in the Senate and is leaving, criticized Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) because Boehner suggests increasing revenue.  And most Senate Republicans opposed a convention about disabilities supported by recent Republican presidents even while former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.), an American hero, visited the Senate floor to show his support.

There is a distemper in the Republican Party today. There are reasons that Democrats have won three of the last four national elections, in 2006, 2008 and 2012. There are reasons that every poll shows that if America crashes over the “fiscal cliff,” the Republicans will reap most of the blame. Yet Republicans keep doing the things that have caused them to lose most recent national elections.

Was it Einstein who said that insanity is to keep making the same mistakes and expecting things to turn out differently?

So: Mitch McConnell tries to abuse the rules with a clever ploy and Harry Reid outsmarts him, as McConnell proves Reid’s case against the filibuster by filibustering against himself.

And: Rand Paul abuses the rules to obstruct an important defense bill and is reprimanded by war hero John McCain.

And: Jim DeMint folds his tent in the Senate, as House Republicans head for the hills to go home, determined to be blamed for the fiscal crash their behavior could cause.

And then a long list of Republicans, having lost their war against women in recent elections, declare war against the disabled. They believe they know better than George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bob Dole and John McCain, who all support the convention that would help the disabled.

Perhaps DeMint can take his case for the wealthiest Americans to the Senate Banking Committee, where he can be publicly questioned by the new rising star in American politics, Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).