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Filibuster

12 Republican senators backed a bill that would provide federal legal protections to same-sex marriages.

Gay Marriage

12 Republicans Support Same-Sex Marriage in Key Senate Vote

Plus: What Orion is carrying to the moon, when you might be able to munch on some lab-grown meat, and more...

Eric Boehm | 11.17.2022 10:05 AM

President Joe Biden speaking on stage holding a microphone

Abortion

Abolishing the Filibuster To Protect Abortion Rights Would Clear the Way for Republicans To Ban Abortion

Democrats aren't really this short-sighted, are they?

Eric Boehm | 6.30.2022 4:30 PM

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Gun Control

The Senate's Latest Gun Bill Will Fail, but Not Because of the Filibuster

Democrats love to blame their troubles on Senate rules. They should look in the mirror instead.

James Wallner | 6.1.2022 10:10 AM

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Democratic Party

Democrats Might Soon Rediscover the Value of the Filibuster

Some liberal political analysts are warning that Republicans will gain a big Senate majority over the next two elections.

Eric Boehm | 4.11.2022 4:35 PM

Voting Rights

Voting Rights

Democrats Still Have a Way To Pass Their Voting Rights Legislation

Not by changing the filibuster rules, but by stressing them.

James Wallner | 1.28.2022 9:55 AM

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Filibuster

Sen. Sinema Savages Democrats' Shortsighted Filibuster Sabotage

Both parties want to kill the filibuster when they are in the majority, and that's exactly why it needs to stick around.

Eric Boehm | 1.13.2022 2:50 PM

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Filibuster

Democrats Can Beat a GOP Filibuster Without Wrecking Senate Rules

Senate Democrats should avoid taking the easy, undemocratic way out.

James Wallner | 1.12.2022 2:00 PM

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Filibuster

Joe Biden Says He's Willing To Kill the Filibuster

If Democrats' voting rights bills are blocked, Biden says, "we have no choice but to change the Senate rules, including getting rid of the filibuster."

Eric Boehm | 1.11.2022 5:35 PM

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Senate

Democrats May Pressure the GOP Into Making the Filibuster Meaningless

An old strategy that’s worked for Democrats before may work again.

James Wallner | 1.7.2022 3:45 PM

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Reason Roundup

January 6 Doesn't Justify Wrecking the Filibuster

Plus: Yelling "fire" (literally and metaphorically), fundraising with non-fungible tokens, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.5.2022 9:30 AM

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Democracy

COVID-19 Made Democracies More Authoritarian and Authoritarian Regimes Even Worse

A new report says many democracies have taken steps that are "disproportionate, unnecessary, or illegal" to curb COVID.

Eric Boehm | 11.23.2021 1:35 PM

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Coronavirus

Biden Says CDC 'Probably' Will Recommend Kids Under 12 Wear Masks to School

Plus: Biden says killing the filibuster would throw Congress into chaos, AOC is wrong about Bezos in space, and more....

Eric Boehm | 7.22.2021 9:30 AM

Filibuster

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky's Views on the Filibuster, Past and Present

Dean Chemerinsky has argued for and against the filibuster on both constitutional and policy grounds.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.15.2021 2:46 PM

Filibuster

There Is Nothing "Unconstitutional" about the Filibuster

Some academics are urging VP Harris to declare the filibuster unconstitutional

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 7.15.2021 12:35 PM

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Senate

The Filibuster Will Survive Because a Few Democrats Are Smart Enough Not To Kill It

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is right: Democrats have more to lose by ending the filibuster than by putting up with it.

Eric Boehm | 6.22.2021 1:30 PM

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Filibuster

Abolishing the Filibuster Is About Power, Not Anti-Racism

Even Joe Biden and Barack Obama were willing to acknowledge this basic fact just a few years ago.

Eric Boehm | 3.26.2021 3:20 PM

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Filibuster

Will Democrats Really Nuke the Filibuster—and What Happens If They Do?

Are Mitch McConnell's threats credible, or is he a paper tiger?

James Wallner | 3.23.2021 7:00 AM

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Minimum Wage

Democrats Can't Use Reconciliation To Pass a $15 Minimum Wage. Here's What They Might Do Next.

But the real reason why Democrats should abandon the effort to hike the federal minimum wage has nothing to do with arcane Senate rules or the filibuster.

Eric Boehm | 2.26.2021 10:45 AM

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Congress

The Senate's Problem Isn't the Filibuster, It's a Lack of Open Debate

Abolishing the filibuster will make it even harder for the Senate to function.

James Wallner | 1.30.2021 7:30 AM

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Filibuster

Is the Senate Filibuster a 'Jim Crow Relic'?

The filibuster is not inherently a tool of oppression simply because segregationist politicians in the 1950s and '60s found it useful.

Jacob Sullum | 10.17.2020 6:00 AM

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Filibuster

Why Democrats Should Stop Worrying and Learn To Love the Filibuster

Progressives are promising to get rid of this long-standing check on the power of raw majorities in the Senate just when it would help them the most.

Christian Britschgi | 9.24.2020 12:00 PM

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Filibuster

Is the Senate Filibuster a 'Jim Crow Relic' That Should Be Abolished in the Name of Democracy?

Politicians' opinions about the maneuver depend on which party is in power.

Jacob Sullum | 7.31.2020 4:45 PM

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Filibuster

Democrats Can Blame Themselves if Trump Wins His War on the Filibuster

For partisans of limited government, this would be terrible news.

Shikha Dalmia | 4.4.2018 1:00 PM

Neil Gorsuch

Friday Funnies: Gorsuch Filibuster

Chip Bok | 4.7.2017 7:00 AM

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Politics

Rand Paul Vows Filibuster of Debt Limit Bill

Senator holds back his desire to use profanity in describing the super-spendy bill.

Brian Doherty | 10.27.2015 9:27 PM

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Rand Paul

New York Times Endorses Rand Paul's "Takedown of the Patriot Act"

Another sign of the end times or a renewal of constitutional governance?

Ronald Bailey | 5.22.2015 12:47 PM

Politics

Nobody Wins When You Go Nuclear on Filibusters

Serious political movements shouldn't try to knock down all the barriers to power whenever they temporarily enjoy it.

Gene Healy | 11.26.2013 12:00 PM

Politics

Democracy and the Filibuster

Next thing you know we could be deciding all sorts of things by majority vote.

Steve Chapman | 11.25.2013 7:00 AM

Politics

Obama, Reid Both Used to Oppose Filibuster Changes

Until it kept them from getting what they wanted

Reason Staff | 11.21.2013 7:30 PM

Politics

Daisy Ad 2013: Senate Filibuster Nuclear Option Remix

Nick Gillespie and Meredith Bragg | 11.21.2013 5:30 PM

Politics

Obama Praises Filibuster Changes

Well, of course, it gets him what he wants

Reason Staff | 11.21.2013 4:40 PM

Politics

Grassley: GOP Will Expand Filibuster Rules When in Power

Changes today do not include Supreme Court nominations

Reason Staff | 11.21.2013 4:30 PM

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Politics

Are Heroic Talkathons a Viable Strategy for Winning Higher Political Office?

Wendy Davis' Gubernatorial Run in Texas is an early test

Shikha Dalmia | 10.7.2013 3:00 PM

Politics

Ted Cruz Leads Republican Primary Poll, Rand Paul Comes In Second

Emily Ekins | 9.30.2013 7:27 PM

Politics

Rand Paul Questions Whether Filibuster Could Stop ObamaCare Funding

Sen. Ted Cruz says he will try

Reason Staff | 9.19.2013 7:20 PM

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Politics

Matt Welch Discusses Reid's "Nuclear Option" on FBN's Markets Now

Matt Welch | 7.16.2013 5:30 PM

Politics

How Calvin and Hobbes Explains the Senate Filibuster Fight

Peter Suderman | 7.16.2013 3:51 PM

Politics

Harry Reid Set to Move on "Nuclear Option" for Filibuster Today

Trying to end filibuster for executive branch nominees

Reason Staff | 7.16.2013 8:12 AM

Politics

Harry Reid's "Nuclear Option"

He wants to override the filibuster, and that's a dangerous move.

David Harsanyi | 7.12.2013 4:30 PM

Politics

Texas Filibuster of Abortion Bill Mesmerizes Twitter, Stops Passage of Bill

Nick Gillespie | 6.26.2013 9:58 AM

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Politics

Democrats To Filibuster Texas Republicans' New Abortion Ban

Guy Bentley | 6.25.2013 12:26 PM

Politics

Obama DC Circuit Court Nominees Could Prompt Filibuster

Planning to nominate three judges for The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Reason Staff | 5.28.2013 8:52 AM

Politics

Rand Paul Plans Another Filibuster, Silent This Time, Against Gun Control Legislation

Brian Doherty | 3.26.2013 10:15 AM

Politics

Angry Birds vs. Wacko Birds, Round 2: Cruz and McCain

Nick Gillespie | 3.12.2013 9:11 AM

Politics

McCain: Are You a "Wacko Bird" Like Rand Paul, Justin Amash, and Ted Cruz?

Nick Gillespie | 3.9.2013 11:46 AM

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