Cross-posted to Leoniceno's Corner
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Republicans have to consider what's brought down majority parties in the past: it's been the same kind of rash acts that are happening now, what with DeLay's rule change, and various other majority actions that don't have popular support. Just because they have a majority doesn't mean that they get to ignore their constituencies, and they can't assume that people don't know what's going on down there. Just because they can pass the nuclear option doesn't mean that they should.

It's very clear that the public supports leaving in the filibuster. Here's a compilation of relevant polls on the subject, taken about a week ago. 53% of the public thinks that the Republicans are abusing their majority powers, and 52% favor the continuation of the filibuster, a 10% gap over people holding an opposite view.

If the Republicans want to persist in power for very long, they're going to need to pay attention the American public, or they'll find themselves even more mired in scandals than they are currently, and incapable of doing anything.

Also, it seems that party leadership is getting into a kind of 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Both Frist and Hagel have presidential ambitions, and colleagues are threatening to withdraw support if the nuclear option isn't passed. And if either of them is directly responsible for the passage of the nuclear option, it will be a blow to their becoming president.

MSNBC article