The Filibuster has a traditional place in our Congressional
debates. But the TRADITIONAL Filibuster is NOT what is
being used today. They have watered it down to a format
wherein a Congressman simply states, "I'm filibustering
this vote!" Then he SITS DOWN AND SHUTS HIS MOUTH! That's
NOT what is supposed to happen! If Harry Reid, JFKerry, Teddy Kennedy, Sheets Byrd, or even Hillary or Chuckles Schumer intend to filibuster, they better damn well stand up, start spouting their nonsensical dribble and filibuster...not just say, "I invoke a filibuster!" And
a filibuster CANNOT be a two/three man operation. It is
a declaration by ONE individual that he intends to speak until he drops if need be in attempting to win over
opponents to his argument! Filibuster or no, eventually
a VOTE IS TAKEN! Our Founding Fathers would guffaw at the insipid tactics being used by the Whiners today.
Funny, there's no mention of all the southern democrats who were against the civil rights bills of the 50's and 60's. There's so much made of Thurmond and Goldwater but no mention of such democratic heroes as Sam Ervin, Russel Long, Herman Talmadge, J. William Fulbright, Albert Gore Sr., etc. Inconvenient, I guess.
Is the filibuster now similar to declaring "Shenanigans" like they do on South Park??? Maybe now there are South Park Democrats too!
Absolutely!!
Think the advent of live CSPAN coverage was the catalyst? I personally have to believe that we'll never see the days of the Thurmand/Byrd classic filibusters again.
I mean, God forbid that a constituency back home should see their own "elected official" taking a hours-on-end televised verbal dump.
Of course, so much of what is shown on CSPAN confirms that it's all so much C**P anyway.
JMO