The Modern Independent

Senator Bernie Sanders’ 9 Hours of Fame

A rare Mr. Smith-goes-to-Washington moment occurred on Friday afternoon. Senator Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Socialist Senator from Vermont, stood on the Senate floor for 9 hours to filibuster the tax-cut compromise brokered between President Obama and the Congressional GOP. 

Watch the first twelve minutes of the filibuster below:

Reaction to the day-long spectacle has been mixed.  For example, Stan Collender at Capital Gains and Game was especially critical of the firebrand Senator:

What did Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) actually accomplish with his 9-hour speech against the tax deal this past Friday? Did he...

• Change any votes?
• Force the leadership to change the tax deal so that it was more to his liking?
• Demonstrate enough Democratic disagreement with the deal that the White House felt the need to revise it?
• Demonstrate a new coalition with Republicans that made it clear the deal in doubt?
• Stop the Senate from considering the deal?
• Stop the Senate from considering anything else?
• Make it clear that he was able and willing to stop the debate from occurring by using the tactic again?

The answer to all of the questions above is a resounding no.

What Sanders’ filibuster did achieve, however, was completely unrelated to the tax-cut debate.  He served as vivid reminder that perhaps the only real reform to the filibuster rule in the Senate that is needed is to require Senators to actually stand on the Senate floor and do it.  Almost without question, Senators would use the procedural delaying tactic more sparingly—and for shorter periods of time—if it required them to actually invest themselves, both physically and mentally, in the obstructionist act.

About Ryan Dawkins

graduated Summa Cum Laude with bachelor degrees in Political Science and History, and a masters degree in American History.