Filibuster 101

filibuster is “The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.” It’s not unheard of to find one party using the filibuster strategy when haggling over a piece of legislation. But what is unprecedented is for one party to use a filibuster to block a vote on nominees. The Constitution gives the executive branch the responsibility to appoint Federal judges. Then the Senate votes to confirm those judges unless they aren’t qualified for the position. So now the Democrats are filibustering the call for a vote, not because the nominees aren’t qualified but because they don’t like them. The irony is that most of these blocked nominees have been women and/or minorities, groups that the Democrats have said they supported.

From Estrada to the latest victim—Janice Rogers Brown—it hasn’t been about qualifications, but rather… partisan politics.