Fight for the Filibuster ; Political Device Keeps Sanity in the Senate's Lawmaking Process
The Washington Times › January 11, 2011
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Summary
''Filibuster" is not a dirty word. This may seem an obvious point, but it's worth noting, given the campaign under way on Capitol Hill to severely curtail a practice designed to ensure that legislation goes through a process of calm, reasoned debate.
In the Founders' vision, the Senate was the "cooling saucer" that would temper legislation developed in the high-temperature House of Representatives. The filibuster grew out of this function. The United States, after all, is a constitutional republic, not a direct democracy. The majority can't simply steamroll the minority. The minority gets a voice, too, in shaping legislation. In the Senate, that voice is expressed at times through the filibuster.See the full content of this document
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Fight for the Filibuster ; Political Device Keeps Sanity in the Senate's Lawmaking Process
As anyone who has seen "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" knows, the filibuster is intended to slow things down, whether it be a bill or a nomination. This isn't to s...
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