What incentives do the Republicans have to work collegially, to compromise moderately, to move legislation forward at all? This newfangled filibuster gives them the power to just block everything.

Blocking everything has become their strategy, and it’s worked well for them politically.

And yes, I said newfangled. Sinema and others who are treating the filibuster a venerable old American or Senate tradition are ignoring history.

When I was a kid, senators hardly ever resorted to filibustering. When they did, it made big news because it was a big deal. It was unusual.

It’s only in the past couple decades that the filibuster has become a tool for a supermajority being required for every piece of non-budgetary legislation Congress wants to pass.

That recent development has nothing to do with moderation or compromise. It has everything to do with obstructionism and rule by minority.