Sometimes, politics is the art of the impossible. Every time the Senate has changed hands in recent history, nine times starting with the 1980 elections, the party in power has threatened to scrap or at least limit the filibuster. This procedural blocking mechanism requires a supermajority of 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to cut off unlimited debate on most issues, known as “cloture,” and thereby force a vote on legislation.

And the party out of power, along with its sympathizers and shills in the intellectual firmament, has worked to shore up the filibuster as a way of putting a stop to things that it doesn’t like.