Should the U.S. Senate eliminate the filibuster?

The filibuster is a tool that Senators can use to hold up a vote or a debate on a potential law that comes to the floor. In the past, legislators had to stand and talk in order to filibuster, but Senate rule changes have made it easier to stall. In recent years, most big bills have been filibustered. Proponents of the filibuster say it ensures that the minority opinion has a say in bills, but opponents argue that it makes passing legislation overly difficult. Should the Senate eliminate the filibuster?

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Additional resources to think about

About Filibuster and Cloture | Historical Overview
Read about a history of filibusters from the U.S. Senate Powers & Procedures page.

What's A Filibuster? | Ron's Office Hours
NPR's Ron Elving breaks down what a filibuster is, the history, and what it means for the Senate.

Senate filibuster's racist past fuels arguments for its end
This report from the Associated Press details the filibuster's use in blocking Civil Rights and Voting Rights legislation.

The weird rule that broke American politics
This video from Vox explains how the filibuster came to essentially shut down any big bills in the Senate.

Most U.S. states don't have a filibuster - nor do many democratic countries
This article from The Conversation discusses how the filibuster works in the Senate and why many state legislatures and other countries around the world don't have the tool at their disposal.

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Who created this message?

What kind of “text” is it?
How similar or different is it to others of the same genre?
What are the various elements (building blocks) that make up the whole?

What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?

What do you notice (about the way the message is constructed)?
What’s the emotional appeal?
What makes it seem “real?”
What's the emotional appeal? Persuasive devices used?

How might different people understand this message differently from me?

How many other interpretations could there be?
How could we hear about them?
How can you explain the different responses?

What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?

What type of person is the reader/watcher/listener invited to identify with?
What ideas or perspectives are left out?
How would you find what’s missing?
What judgments or statements are made about how we treat other people?

Why is this message being sent?

What's being sold in this message? What's being told?
Who is served by or benefits from the message
– the public?
– private interests?
– individuals?
– institutions?

5 Key Questions of Media Literacy used with permission from the Center for Media Literacy.
Copyright 2002-2021, Center for Media Literacy, www.medialit.com

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