Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The West Wing: The Stackhouse Filibuster

Facts:
1. When you do a filibuster you keep the floor as long as your still talking.
2. Can't stop talking or filibuster is over.
3. No eating or drinking during a filibuster.
4. No leaning or sitting during a filibuster.
5. There is a required 60 votes to end a debate on a bill.
6. Can talk about any topic during a filibuster, even reading out of a recipe book is acceptable.
7. "Filibuster" comes from a Dutch word that literally means "freebooter".
8. People filibuster because they are against the bill.
9. After a filibuster ends there is a cloture vote.

Questions:
1. Theoretically speaking if someone could filibuster for an infinite of time would the Senate have to wait that long?!
2. What do the people waiting do while the filibuster is in session?
3. Are the Senators allowed to leave during the filibuster? For example to go to the bathroom or go eat?
4. Will they ever change how a filibuster works or will they keep it the same?
5. Is a filibuster just a huge waste of time if the bill passes?

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