As more liberals urge Sonia Sotomayor to step down this year to ensure that Biden can pick her successor, some Senate Democrats are voicing fears of a 7-2 conservative majority.
What you’re describing is a “talking filibuster” where members monopolize the floor so debate can’t continue until they stop. That’s part of it, but that doesn’t happen much anymore in reality. Removing the filibuster for judicial nominees basically just means the threshold for a vote is a simple majority, not a 60 member minimum.
It’s annoyingly complicated and the term “filibuster” has taken on a cultural meaning that is simpler than what it is in reality. These folks explain it pretty well.
What you’re describing is a “talking filibuster” where members monopolize the floor so debate can’t continue until they stop. That’s part of it, but that doesn’t happen much anymore in reality. Removing the filibuster for judicial nominees basically just means the threshold for a vote is a simple majority, not a 60 member minimum.
It’s annoyingly complicated and the term “filibuster” has taken on a cultural meaning that is simpler than what it is in reality. These folks explain it pretty well.