Since Democrats retook control of the Senate chamber in 2006, Nation editors recently wrote, GOP obstruction has made a mockery of the very American principle of majority rule, and of the equally American principle of respect for the minority. Republican abuse of the filibuster has been a central tool in thwarting popular resolutions, nominations and legislation, debates and votes.

The filibuster is one of the biggest barriers to progress in our country. Implore your elected reps to support a strong reform package that includes the “talking filibuster.” After weighing in, share this info with friends, family and your Facebook and Twitter networks.

In early January of 2011, in his then-weekly Nation podcast, Chris Hayes took a quick tour through the filibuster’s history and the options for its removal or revision.

This past December, John Nichols joined MSNBC’s The Ed Show to outline the changes we need for the filibuster law, to force political blockading out of back rooms and into the open.

A weekly guide to meaningful action, this blog connects readers with resources to channel the outrage so many feel after reading about abuses of power and privilege. Far from a comprehensive digest of all worthy groups working on behalf of the social good, Take Action seeks to shine a bright light on one concrete step that Nation readers can take each week. To broaden the conversation, we’ll publish a weekly follow-up post detailing the response and featuring additional campaigns and initiatives that we hope readers will check out. Toward that end, please use the comments field to give us ideas. With your help, we can make real change.