Last Updated on November 29, 2022 by Lily Connel
A filibuster is a political procedure where one or more members of a Congress or Parliament debate over a proposed piece of legislation to delay or entirely prevent a decision from being made on the proposal. On the other side, The use of filibustering slows down the process of passing laws and is most commonly found in the United States Senate.
Pros and Cons Of Filibuster – The Table Comparison
| Serial | Pros Of Filibuster | Cons Of Filibuster |
| 1. | The filibuster was created to protect the minority’s rights in the Senate. | The filibuster was originally designed to block civil rights, racial justice, and workers’ rights. |
| 2. | The filibuster is an old law that allows the minority party to block legislation. | When a small minority in numbers attempts to filibuster, it is not the same as being silenced. |
| 3. | The Filibuster has a long History. | The filibuster is a stunning example of changing demographics. |
| 4. | A filibuster is a compromise tool that protects the voice and mandate of the minority party. | The filibuster is outdated and has only slowed down the legislative process. |
| 5. | The filibuster is an important safeguard against political extremism and corporate influence. | The filibuster promotes obstructionism. It gives the minority party in Congress too much power. |
| 6. | The filibuster protects the intended purpose of the senate. | A filibuster is a racist tool used to block progress. |
Pros Of Filibuster
1. Minority In The Senate
The Senate, like any legislative body with 100% control of the government’s purse strings should be representative. The existence of this minority group is essential for democracy to work properly and protect all American’s interests so it deserves representation! The Democracy of the Senate relies on a small minority to keep it functioning. If this group was not present, democracy would be impossible and so becomes more protected by their actions than others in America who have nothing at stake when ruling over other citizens.
2. Long History
A filibuster is an ancient form of procedure in which one senator can delay legislation by making repeated requests to speak. Removing the ability for senators with opposing views or interest groups like The Tea Party Movement would be detrimental to our government’s ability to become more efficient and effective at tackling problems. That affects all Americans, not just those who belong solely on either extreme end-of-the-spectrum!
The United States was founded due largely. Because people were fed up after centuries’ worth of oppression so they could create something new; yet today we find ourselves having less say than ever before. But thankfully The Bill Of Rights still stands tall as protection against unfounded tyranny.
3. A Lack Of Compromise Leads To More Issues And Pain
The filibuster is a centuries-old law that allows the minority party to block legislation. They don’t support with just one vote, which has been used by both Democrats and Republicans in recent years. If members of Congress want new bills passed as soon as possible without risking blocking them. From reaching President Trump’s desk via filibuster. Then it is essential that bipartisan cooperation between House majorities and Senate minorities occurs at every turn or else major pieces of federal policy might never see daylight.
Cons Of Filibuster
1. A Small Minority In Numbers Does Not Equal Silence
The ability of one person to stop legislation is something that has never happened before in the history of our country. If 60 senators agree on a bill but not enough people are voting with them. Then it will fail and they’ll be able to invoke cloture which prevents any more votes from happening until negotiations happen between themselves or outside parties like lobbyists at the expense both sides agreed upon beforehand.
We know this sounds extremely unlikely. Because there have only been three instances where the procedure calls for invoking cloture. Most recently 1968 during President Johnson’s administration when he wanted Hubert Humphreys nominated.
2. Racial Justice
The filibuster was originally designed as a tool to block civil rights, racial justice, and workers’ rights. The Senate’s website claims that “filibusters proved especially useful for southern senators who sought to block these bills including anti-lynching legislation.”
The filibuster has been a fixture of American politics for centuries, used to block bills that advance civil rights and racial justice. The Senate’s website even credits the Southern senators who opposed anti-lynching legislation using this tool in much more recent years–especially during Reconstruction when Congress was trying to ensure equal protection under the law across all Americans regardless of their race or gender identity.
3. Changing Demographics
There are more than 50 states in the United States, but it’s possible for there to be representation from only 30% of them. The population pattern this time around is drastically different when you look at how many people will have two senators instead of 2040-a feasibility that has been debated by academics and thinkers alike over recent years.
2/3rds or three-fourths (65%)of Americans may not even get a say with these numbers playing out as they currently stand now. Because we could end up being represented solely by just 10 – 13 million citizens from smaller states who would otherwise have much less power over shaping laws passed under their state.
In the future, it’s estimated that two-thirds of America will be represented by just 30% of our Senate. That means there are some pretty big changes coming for how laws get made and who has power in this country!
4. Slows Down The Legislative Process
The days when the senate was a bustling hub of activity are long gone. Senators used to debate and vote on bills at speeds that would make your head spin, but in 2020 there were only 278 passing votes for legislation all year long — That’s half as many passed than in 1971 (555) or 1955(979). The filibuster may be one reason why so few laws get made these days; without extended debate time in committee stages, it can take months just to wind through these processes once they start moving!
A new study has found that the United States Senate is among, if not the least productive legislature in history. The chamber only passed 178 bills last year out of 300 possible or just over 50%. This figure marks an all-time low since 1955 when there were 2,000+ more pieces of legislation being considered by Congress than today’s number (278). It could be because filibuster slows down progress so much which contributes greatly towards why fewer things are getting done these days.
Everything You Need To Know About The Filibuster
In the Senate, the filibuster is used when one or more members wish to debate a proposed piece of legislation. If any member speaks for long enough then no vote can take place until every senator has had their say – this means that a filibuster stops a vote from taking place. To end the filibuster, Senate rules state that at least 60 senators must vote to move forward with the vote on the bill in question.
When a filibuster occurs, it prevents a vote on the proposed legislation and any amendment to this legislation. Filibusters are used to prolong debate over bills, amendments, or other issues. a filibuster can be conducted by one or more Senators, at any time that is called filibuster on motion, and it requires the agreement of all the members present. If a filibuster occurs, there are two possibilities for ending it:
– The filibuster is ended through cloture which means cutting off debate with a vote of at least three-fifths of the full membership of the Senate.
– filibuster is ended through exhaustion, which means that after a filibuster has continued for a long time without success in convincing others to end the filibuster, its members become tired and drop it.
Conclusion
The filibuster allows politicians time to convince their colleagues out of voting for or against passing legislation if they don’t agree with it; this can give them time to convince the public of their cause. This is why the filibuster is used by politicians who represent a minority opinion, it allows them to be represented in parliament.
Another pro is that this procedure often forces the party in power to compromise on legislation they might not have otherwise agreed to; due to filibusters being extremely unpopular with voters.
