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ACPlayer
10-20-2003, 05:34 PM
Here are some links/titbits on filibusters i gathered this afternoon, for those interested in such things. Offered without comment, leaving that to others.

Link from the rules of the Senate. (http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Filibuster_Cloture.htm)

Initially any senator could hold up business by filibustering or talking for ever.

In 1917 the rules were changed to allow the invocation of cloture to cut off debate. At that time it required a 2/3 majority to end the debate. This was suggested by Pres Wilson.

In 1975 the democrat led senate changed the rules to end the debate with just 60 votes.



Although no judicial nominee for a lower court appointment has ever been rejected due to a filibuster, the mere threat of filibustering may have moderated the appointments process by encouraging the nomination of less extreme candidates.

At the Supreme Court level, a few prominent filibusters have failed, but one was successful. Abe Fortas, nominated by President Lyndon Johnson to head the Supreme Court, was defeated by a Republican filibuster in 1968 because of his activist stand on civil rights issues. After his supporters failed to win a cloture vote, Fortas's nomination was withdrawn.

The longest filibuster speech was over 25 hours by thurmond-(R-SC) for 24 hours against the civil rights act.

Apparently Sen Long of LA talked about recipes etc in his filibuster speeches against legislation he felt favoured the rich over the poor.