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Article: Talking an Issue to Death.(filibusters)
- Article from:
- U.S. News & World Report
- Article date:
- May 16, 2005
- Author:
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The word filibuster comes from the Spanish filibusteros, West Indian pirates who sailed around in filibotes and wreaked havoc. Its history in the U.S. Senate dates to the 1830s, over a censure of President Andrew Jackson for withdrawing funds from the central bank. One group of senators began to talk and talk, trying to tire out the opposition and move toward adjournment. Jackson's supporters readied for a long night, Sen. Thomas Benton wrote, "fortif[ying] themselves with an ample supply . . . of cold hams, turkeys, beef, pickles, wines, and cups of hot coffee."
The Everyman character in Frank Capra's classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington romanticized the ...