I'd love to hang the failure to pass a FY11 budget on the Republicans, and certainly their routine and unprecedented use of the filibuster was a factor, but as best as I can tell, there was plenty of blame to go around.

Budget bills can't be filibustered, so they can be passed with just 51 votes. Unfortunately, Democrats seeking re-election in competitive states didn't want to be on record voting for a budget that increased the deficit by about $1 trillion, so most observers didn't think they'd be able to get to 51 with ConservaDems defecting. With the prospect of the budget passing the senate in doubt, Pelosi punted, choosing to push legislation piecemeal rather than enter a drawn-out fight over the budget that might chew up months of time and end without agreement anyway.

The wisdom of that choice is certainly questionable now, and was predicted then.