The Functioning of the U.S. Government is a dynamic process which combines the formal balances of power incorporated in the Constitution with traditions, precedents, and interpretations which have evolved over the past 200 years. One of the key features of our dynamic U.S. Government is the fact that it is based on tradition.
The filibuster, in the Senate, is an example of a tradition not grounded in the Constitution but is now considered important to the protection of minority interests.
What is the definition of the term "filibuster" as it applies to politics?
A "filibuster" occurs when a person (or persons) attempts to halt action on a particular bill by engaging in an excessively long speech or other delaying tactic.
In the US Senate, rules permit a senator (or senators) to speak for as long as they want. However, three-fifths of Senators can vote to invoke cloture (under Senate Rule XXII), which brings the debate to a close.
The longest filibuster in Senate history belongs to former South Carolina senator Strom Thurmond, who embarked on a 24 hour, 18 minute long filibuster in order to delay voting on the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Thurmond reportedly took a steam bath before his speech to rid himself of any excess fluid, as well as stocking up on "cough drops and malted milk tablets" in order to keep his voice. http://www.davemanuel.com/investor-dictionary/filibuster/
2 comments:
I found this video to be funny, the way everybody reacted when the speaker took out a drink and food. It seems like a pain if you have to sit through a filibuster.
The clip really gives you a better aspect of what you are trying to make us understand. I really love the way our history has changed over time.
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