Politics or Principle: Filibustering in the United States Senate [Paperback]

Sarah A. Binder (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 081570951X | ISBN-13: 978-0815709510 | Publication Date: December 2, 1996 | Edition: First

Is American democracy being derailed by the United States Senate filibuster? Is the filibuster an important right that improves the political process or an increasingly partisan tool that delays legislation and thwarts the will of the majority? Are century-old procedures in the Senate hampering the institution in fulfilling its role on the eve of the twenty-first century? The authors examine the evolution of the rules governing Senate debate, analyze the consequences of these rules, and evaluate reform proposals. They argue that in an era of unprecedented filibustering and related obstructionism, old habits are indeed undermining the Senate's ability to meet its responsibilities. Binder and Smith scrutinize conventional wisdom about the filibuster - and show that very little of it is true. They focus on five major myths: that unlimited debate is a fundamental right that differentiates the Senate from the House of Representatives; that the Senate's tradition as a deliberative body requires unlimited debate; that the filibuster was once reserved for a few issues of the utmost national importance; that few measures are actually killed by filibuster; and that senators resist changing the rules because of a principled commitment to deliberation. In reappraising conventional wisdom about the filibuster, Binder and Smith contribute to ongoing debates about the dynamics of institutional change in the American political system. The authors conclude by suggesting reforms intended to enhance the power of determined majorities while preserving the rights of chamber minorities. They advocate, for example, reducing the number of votes required to end debate while increasing the amount of time forsenators to debate controversial bills. Reform that is consistent with the Senate's unique size and responsibilities is possible, they suggest.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Many Americans of a certain age may remember the filibuster as Jimmy Stewart's final courageous act in the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but the real significance of the filibuster is rarely appreciated and frequently misunderstood in American politics. In this excellent study, the authors (political science, Univ. of Minnesota) provide readers with everything they might ever need to know about the history, use, and effectiveness of the filibuster. Not since Franklin L. Burdette's Filibuster in the Senate was published in 1940 has this subject been treated to such a comprehensive and intelligent analysis. For example, the authors, employing statistical means, test the proposition that contemporary resort to the filibuster happens for more partisan motives and for more trivial issues than at any other time in the Senate's history, and discover that this is not the case. Overall, this is a fine book that any student of Congress should read.?Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ. Lib., Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The Senate filibuster is once again under considerable scrutiny, made a pressing political controversy by such communications innovations as C-SPAN and the internet which have allowed the public to become even more aware of this traditional tactic of American political debate. Politics Or Principle? examines the evolution of the rules governing Senate debate, analyze the consequences of these rules, and evaluates various reform proposals. Politics Or Principle? argues that in an era of unprecedented filibustering and related obstructionism, old habits are indeed undermining the Senate's ability to meet its responsibilities. Authors Binder and Smith scrutinize conventional wisdom about the filibuster -- and show that very little of it is true. They then focus on five major myths: the notion that unlimited debate is a fundamental right differentiating the Senate from the House of Representatives; the Senate's tradition as a deliberative body requires unlimited debate; the filibuster was once reserved for a few issues of the utmost national importance; that few measures are actually killed by filibuster, and that senators resist changing the rules because of a principled commitment to deliberation. In reappraising conventional wisdom about the filibuster Politics Or Principle? contributes significantly to the ongoing national dialogue about the dynamics of institutional change in the American political system. Politics Or Principle? concludes with suggested reforms intended to enhance the power of determined majorities while preserving the rights of chamber minorities, reforms (such as reducing the number of votes required to end debate while increasing the amount of time for senators to debate controversial bills) consistent with the Senate's unique size and responsibilities. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press; First edition (December 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081570951X
• ISBN-13: 978-0815709510
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,114,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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