Filibuster survived, but for what?

There were 42 votes against Samuel Alito. That was without 4 Democrats that voted for Alito. If those 42 had voted against cloture, the debate on Alito would have continued. Maybe debate is too much work for some of them. Maybe the pressure of having to decide and wanting to get on to other work is too much of a strain. Maybe voters will get apathetic and lose their enthusiasm for carrying through on what counts. It's just an up or down vote. Next!

Alito was confirmed 58 to 42, with those 4 Democrats. Given that Democrats are less partisan, that just means that we need more Democrats. It seems that even when in the majority Democrats were independent minded or had different constituents. But it does not mean that Republicans or the Democrats that join them represent what is good for the country or even what the majority of the country supports.

Let us just hope that Alito's propensity to pad a resume was only part of an act that conned the neo-cons. It is not likely, but it is what we can only hope.