How does a filibuster work?

[KK]

I see that the democrats are going to try and filibuster the Estrada nomination. How exactly does this work? I would think that the republican with a majority would have some impact on their ability to stall the nomination.

KK

 

[Zim Hosein]

http://www.thisnation.com/question/037.html 🙂

 

[AvesPKS]

Does anybody remember that episode of Tiny Toons, where they all went to Congress, and Babs is standing there pumping up Buster? "I'm filling a Buster!"
😛

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
http://www.thisnation.com/question/037.html 🙂

So if a senator decides to filibuster, he just starts talking and doesn't shut up. If he needs to urinate does he get to without giving up floor? They said Thurmond gave one that lasted over a day. Well, if one happened to last longer could the guy sleep in the chamber?

KK

 

[CallTheFBI]

In the house of representatives there is some limit to the amount of time you can get up and talk about a bill. In the senate due to tradition there is no limit to the amount of time you can talk about a bill. Therefore one of the well known tactics that senators employ is filibustering when they don't want a bill to pass. They stall the bill for as long as they possibly can so that the other party finally gives in and compromises on the issue.

 

[brtspears2]

Its sorta like that annoying salesman. He keeps talking til you crack and make a deal or run screaming.

 

[BooneRebel]

Search former Senator Huey Long and you find all kinds of colorful stories. During one filibuster he read the entire Constitution along with various recipes, etc. He finally had to yield for a call of nature after 15 hours. Another that he initiated lasted over 3 weeks with the assistance of other Senators.

 

[KenGr]

As I recall, the fillibuster can only be done in certain types of sessions (and I think confirmation is one of them). It can be broken but it takes a supermajority (I think 60%) so the minority party can pull it off if they are solid. It's a lawyer game and should probably be abolished but it's roots are in the rights of the minority party to be heard so the rule keeps a majority from cutting off debate.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: BooneRebel
Search former Senator Huey Long and you find all kinds of colorful stories. During one filibuster he read the entire Constitution along with various recipes, etc. He finally had to yield for a call of nature after 15 hours. Another that he initiated lasted over 3 weeks with the assistance of other Senators.

Some reading material
filibuster

Didn't one person break out the phone book and start reading names and numbers?

 

[Queasy]

The best was when a congresswoman (in a state house - Missouri I think) was trying to filibuster but had to go potty. She had aids and fellow democrats surround her with sheets on the floor while she relieved herself in a bucket. :Q

 

[FoBoT]

from the first link, i think this more or less summarizes it

The House of Representatives has a Rules Committee that places a limit on debate when a bill goes to the floor. The Senate has no such committee. As a result, a bill is informally scheduled to come up on the Senate floor where debate can be endless. A filibuster occurs when a Senator engaged in debate refuses to yield the floor and thus prevents a roll call vote from taking place. The image of a Senator standing his ground on the Senate floor is epitomized by Jimmy Stewart with his performance in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Filibusters provide a minority of Senators a way to make their voices heard.

 

[Jzero]

The image of a Senator standing his ground on the Senate floor is epitomized by Jimmy Stewart with his performance in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Filibusters provide a minority of Senators a way to make their voices heard.

I was gonna say, there is a great scene in Mr Smith Goes To Washington where he throws a filibuster.

 

[CallTheFBI]

Originally posted by: Queasy
The best was when a congresswoman (in a state house - Missouri I think) was trying to filibuster but had to go potty. She had aids and fellow democrats surround her with sheets on the floor while she relieved herself in a bucket. :Q

I seriously doubt that happened. They don't let the senators tinkle in the capitol.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: CallTheFBI

Originally posted by: Queasy
The best was when a congresswoman (in a state house - Missouri I think) was trying to filibuster but had to go potty. She had aids and fellow democrats surround her with sheets on the floor while she relieved herself in a bucket. :Q

I seriously doubt that happened. They don't let the senators tinkle in the capitol.

No, it's true. She was brought up on charges for indecency. I think it was a state legislation, though, not federal.

amish

Linky

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: BooneRebel
Search former Senator Huey Long and you find all kinds of colorful stories. During one filibuster he read the entire Constitution along with various recipes, etc. He finally had to yield for a call of nature after 15 hours. Another that he initiated lasted over 3 weeks with the assistance of other Senators.

Some reading material
filibuster

Didn't one person break out the phone book and start reading names and numbers?

yes, the entire DC phonebook. It was Thurmund IIRC. Been a while though, so not sure.

 

[smartt]

You just sorta keep talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking andtalking and talking and talking and

 

[aphex]

^ he beat me to it.

 

[Yossarian]

It is essentially Senatorial neffing.

 

[MrDingleDangle]

Originally posted by: PipBoy
It is essentially Senatorial neffing.

lol...never thought of it that way

 

[JimmyEatWorld]

my friends dad has the world record for filibustering. I believe it was 60+ hours in the Senate of Texas. He read a phonebook, and used a catheder (sp?)