What's a fillibuster?

Question

I used to think it was a made-up word.

Answer 1

Correct spelling: filibuster, from the Dutch meaning "to pirate."

It is a "stall tactic" used by members of Congress, Parliament, and other democracies, when they are in session. Congress has to abide by Robert's Rules of Order for all their sessions. Voting on a measure or bill takes place when someone "calls" for a vote and another person "seconds" the motion. However, no one can call for a vote if the person who "has the floor" (is speaking/addressing Congress,etc) engages in a "filibuster" which is essentially the use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.


FUN FACT: In 1957, then-Democratic Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina staged the longest filibuster in Senate history, speaking for over 24 hours against a civil-rights bill. (He later became a Republican.)

Answer 2

It is a political term. It is when a congressman speaks in front of congress to pass a bill. He can speak for as long as he wants as long as he keeps talking. People use this to get their point across. There is a movie about a fillibuster but I cant remember what it is called.

Answer 3

It is a delaying tactic associated with the Senate and used by the Minority in an effort to prevent the passage of a bill or amendment. Usually threatened but not executed. It just means that someone who opposes a bill will talk for a Loooong time so that the bill can't be voted on.

Answer 4

The quick answer is that when one side of Congress, (normally Democrats in the last few years) will band together and either block voting or all vote no against a bill.

The idea is to block a bill from passing. Normally this only can come into play when the majority party needs a handful of the minority party to vote with them to accomplish passing the bill.

Answer 5

In Politics, a filibuster is an attempt to extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay or completely prevent a vote on its passage. It's a political tactic.

A Filibuster can also be a military action, to change the existing government in a foreign country.

Answer 6

A filibuster is used to stop the passage of laws that a minority party can't get the votes to stop. For example, if the Republican party wants to pass a law the Democrats hate, but the Republicans hold a majority in Congress so can get sufficient votes to pass it, the Democrats hold a filibuster. They talk and talk, they read passages from books, they recite poetry, and they only yield the floor to other Democrats who have agreed to continue reading and talking and singing and doing whatever else they have to do to stop the law from coming to a vote.

Answer 7

It is the process that politicians use to get what they want. If one side isn't happy with a law or bill they will do everything in there power to make sure it doesn't pass. To stop a filibuster from happening the person /persons proposing the bill will agree to pass another bill in the future. Its basically like legal blackmail. If you don't do what we want then your going to get your item passed.

Answer 8

Filibuster means: The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

It is commonly used in the legislative bodies of the government.

Answer 9

It is the process of talking about a subject forever to prevent the proposition from coming up for a vote.

Answer 10

It's when politicians keep arguing back and forth to postpone voting on something. Try reading the Wikipedia article about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster