https://www.brookings.edu/policy2020/votervital/what-is-the-senate-filibuster-and-what-would-it-take-to-eliminate-it/

   The filibuster. A word more than half of the nation’s population, almost definitely doesn’t know the meaning behind. So what is it you ask? A filibuster, to put into simple terms, is a tactic that the US Congress uses to prolong an argument in the Senate floor to eventually convince everyone to move on and stop talking about the topic. 

        So why does it matter? A number of reasons add to the intensity of why the situation is so detrimental. But the two I will be discussing today are the facts that they don’t allow the federal government to get anything done and it fuels partisan polarization. To start, the federal government in the United States already has its fair share of issues to handle in my opinion. Like, I don’t know, gun control and the right to abortion to name a couple (if you can’t tell, I want gun control and the protection of the right to abortion).  Now that we got past that, we can discuss the significance filibusters are having on the national government’s ability to, well, do literally anything. 

         The most common example of this is seen within issues that cause immense argument between the two parties. In such cases, the opposing side talks and talks until essentially it is too late to take action on a certain topic in the Senate. Now one may argue that filibusters allow for the minority parties’ views to continue to be represented in the government when the other party has the majority. While this may be important, ultimately it just postpones anything from getting done at all. Talking too long about one topic will take away from talking about others, therefore the federal government isn’t truly doing anything to represent the people in an appropriate manner. 

       Overall, the filibuster is essential for the American people to recognize. Not only will it open their eyes to what is happening in our country, but it will also provide evidence that partisan polarization is just causing more harm.