OBSTRUCTIONIST POLITICS
THE SENATE FILIBUSTER
The Senate in Review
Debating Society
•
World’s
Prestige
•
Elite
Term
•
Six
The Senate in Review
Role
•
Senate confirms
Power
•
Senators
Make-up
The Filibuster
Use
•
Use (or abuse)
Launc
h
•
Senators have
Filibuster cont.
Where
•
Unique
Const. ?
•
Custom
:)
•
James Madison
Irony
•
Loftiest
Theat er
Famous Filibusters
Huey “Kingfish”
Famous Filibusters
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington –
Jimmy Stewart
The Process/Strategy/Rationale
Restated
Any Senator (usually, but by no means always, of
the “minority party”) uses his or her
___________________ to bring the Senate legislative process to a _______ in an effort to
____________________ a bill or appointment that would likely otherwise pass.
Allows Senators with a _________________ to
_________________ from the majority OR at least look like a ____________________ to their constituents.
Allows the voice of the ________ to be heard in a
system designed around ________ rule.
Can only be ended by a “_____________” vote of
The Tactic Today
Minefield
•
Polarized
Appointment s
•
Federal Crt. Judges
Fight or Flight
Ending the Filibuster
•
2/3rds
Change
the
Rules
•
50 Senators
“Nuclea
r
Nuclear Fallout
