One of the biggest issues in America right now is how we deal with social issues, like LGBTQ rights and gun laws.
Anyone can type a rant in 280 characters or less. It takes a different type of dedication to call legislators and force them to get a bill passed.
[caption id="attachment_28833" align="aligncenter" width="547"]
Photo via Wikipedia[/caption]
I used to be uninformed when it came to politics because the jargon can be off-putting.
Here we welcome the filibuster, an antiquated facet of our government that undoubtedly staunches progress in politics. The Congressional Research Service defines a filibuster as any tactic aimed at blocking a measure by stopping it from becoming a vote.
In recent Democratic Presidential Debates, we hear about the amazing bills that each candidate will sign if elected. The unfortunate part of that is none of the bills are likely to pass because they must go through the Senate.
Arguably, the biggest recent bill passed through the Senate, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was almost a decade ago.
Gaining the necessary 51 votes to pass a bill in the Senate is nearly impossible due to increased partisanship in today’s political climate.
Many advocates for the filibuster say the original idea is what the Founding Fathers wanted it to be: the “cooling saucer” that forces the two parties to work together.
The risk of getting rid of the filibuster means that the side you agree with will not always be in power. Abolishing it would make it easier for everyone to pass things. For example, it would no longer be possible to filibuster judicial nominations, most recently seen in the 50-48 Brett Cavanaugh ruling.
I think it is a risk worth taking. While it is good to give the minority party a voice in the Senate, it should not come at the expense of getting something passed.
You can argue whether you agree with a bill or not depending on which end of the political spectrum you fall on. What cannot be argued is the lack of progress being made on either side because of the filibuster, along with other issues that plague our government today.
While we cannot reverse the use of technology and use of social media, we can do something that has a stronger impact than a post. Call your representatives, have your voice heard and do your small part in advocating for justice.
Evando Thompson is a senior journalism major and German minor from Atlanta, Ga. He can be reached at evando.thompson@student.shu.edu.
Comments
