Procedural karma

It is necessary for us to save the filibuster* now. . . so that the GOP can use it to kill our bills when the Dems take back the Senate in '06. But seriously, the filibuster is the only thing standing between us and legislative and judicial Armageddon right now, so fire away.

PFAW action alert: Don't Let Republican Leadership "Go Nuclear" on Supreme Court

*A longstanding Senate rule that enables a minority of senators to endlessly extend debate on a bill to delay or block its passage. It takes 60 votes to break a filibuster, so all you need to keep one going is 41 votes. It's a good way to stop a bill you really, really disagree with when you don't have a simple majority to vote against it. It also makes for good theater. Like Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, or Strom Thurmond reading from the phone book as part of his 24-hour-plus filibuster to block the Civil Rights Act of 1957 (see, it cuts both ways).