Many people view a U.S. Senate filibuster as something that we witnessed in the 1939 movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington – a classic. In 2011, a senate filibuster is far from what Jefferson Smith (played by Jimmy Stewart) portrayed it to be. Probably one reason is there isn’t anyone like a “Jefferson Smith” serving as a United States Senator these days, but I digress…

Today the Billings Gazette editorial board addressed the U.S. Senate’s filibuster rules and the rule of placing secret holds on legislation and nominations.

The Gazette feels the secret hold should be done away with. U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester (both democrats and in the majority) do, too. The Gazette also does not care too much for filibusters and Tester wants to limit filibusters, according to the Gazette.  Tester wants to be re-elected, too.

My first thought in reading the editorial was of course they do; they are in the majority. Every time one party or the other is in the majority, they want to have a clear path to shoving their legislation through the senate (and down our throats). Continue reading →