It used to be that southern Democrats used the filibuster to prevent civil rights legislation.
Sometimes, the filibuster has been used to block a particularly controversial piece of legislation, or a Presidential nominee who was seen as undesirable.
But never has the filibuster been abused as it is this year by the Republican party, which is using the filibuster tactic to block ANY action on ANYTHING that the Obama Administration proposes, other than his appointments as Cabinet advisers and the selection of Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor!
The Republicans have used it to block just about every judicial nominee that President Obama has selected!
In a time of great challenges, we also cannot see agreement to move ahead on Wall Street reform yesterday because of a filibuster based on party alone, and also on such a crucial issue as immigration reform!
The filibuster was not designed to be utilized in such an abusive way, and it is a mockery of democracy to allow such a tactic to be used in the way it has been in recent months!
Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico has introduced a proposal backed by other junior senators, which would work to reform the system, as it is essential for any progress toward dealing with the major challenges we face.
It is, however, doubtful that any change will come soon, and the effect is to make the US Senate present an image as a legislative body which is unable to meet its responsibilities to the American people, and to damage its historical reputation as a respectable institution!