Our government is not functioning like it should, and there is a reason. The Senate filibuster prevents nearly any meaningful legislation from becoming law. And the government shutdown is one further proof of this obvious reality.

The filibuster explains why so little is getting done in Washington. And it is why executive orders by a Republican or Democrat president, are an attempt to fill the void.

Because of the Senate filibuster, Democratic senators kill Republican bills by simply objecting to the legislation being offered for debate, requiring then a super majority of 60 votes to consider the issue. And Republicans do the same to Democratic legislation, when Democrats are in the majority.

Under the Senate filibuster, only one senator, regardless of party, has to object, and that legislation is usually removed from the calendar for debate. The use of the filibuster can only prevent, not pass legislation. The end result, important legislation does not get addressed, and harmful legislation already on the books, cannot get repealed.

Regretfully, the misuse of the filibuster has become a huge impediment to confronting vital concerns about immigration, climate change, public safety, economic development, education, national security, foreign affairs, and so on. It is alarming, but the misuse of the filibuster explains why Congress has done so little in recent years, to address these important issues. And it explains why so many Americans are........

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