Pay Attention.

Here he goes again. In an interview with Chris Geidner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) essentially told House Republican "leaders" to stop the epic obstruction and accomplish something. Here's how it went down.

Senate Majority Ldr. Harry Reid: "I think the House is going to have to capitulate" on ENDA, immigration & other bills.

Despite the Senate's action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), the House hasn't passed anything (except an amendment to deport DREAMers in June). Despite the Senate's progress on ENDA, House "leadership" won't even admit workplace discrimination is a problem in America. And despite Senate Democrats' repeated requests for budget negotiations throughout this year, it took another G-O-TEA induced manufactured crisis to end 17 days of unnecessary drama and kick-start those long awaited budget negotiations.

See the pattern here? We do, but they don't seem to. But wait, can't they at least see the writing on last night's election results?

Apparently not. Even in the wake of an embarrass defeat in Virginia and a pyrrhic victory in New Jersey, the G-O-TEA seems to be proceeding with business as usual... Which of course, means nothing is accomplished.

Civil rights activists are trying hard to change this dynamic. But can it be changed in time to make something happen in the 113th Congress? Is there enough time left this year?

“In the effort to repeal [the military's ban on out LGBTQ servicemembers], the gay rights movement very effectively humanized the real impact discrimination was having,” prominent gay advocate Richard Socarides tells me. “Some of that can be replicated here. But it will take a long time. Individual Republicans might be convinced, but do you think the House GOP leadership is going to hold a historic vote in favor of gay rights? Very unlikely.”

Indeed, there’s no telling whether the House GOP leadership will ever get around to heeding the RNC autopsy’s call for evolution on gay rights to make the party more attractive to young voters, or whether enough individual GOP lawmakers will ever care sufficiently about the issue to seriously pressure the leadership.

A long time, indeed.

And that's not all. AFL-CIO is going all in for CIR with new TV ads (see above) targeting Republican House Members who've yet to match their pro-reform rhetoric with actual votes. So of course, these ads are airing here in Southern Nevada (cough- Joe Heck- cough).

If Republican "leaders" in DC were smart, they'd pay attention. They'd pay attention to the changing electorate. They'd pay attention to the economic reality on the ground. They'd pay attention to Senator Reid's repeated warnings. And they'd pay attention to those pesky Virginia election results.

So will they pay attention? Or do they truly want the reputation of being "The Stupid Party"?