The filibuster as ‘a tool of the Republicans ... was misleading in its history’
| 03 Mar 2021 | 10:58
A recent letter of the Feb. 26 - March 4, 2021 edition attacked the filibuster as a tool of the Republicans. It was misleading in its history and current events.
The filibuster dates from the early 1800s when Aaron Burr presided over the Senate.
The Republican Party arrived 50 years later.
The letter mistakenly claims that the Republicans used the filibuster to block civil rights legislation in the sixties.
The filibuster was used against civil rights legislation in 1957 and 1964 by Democrats. Examples include Robert Byrd, Joe Biden’s “friend,” and William Fulbright, Bill Clinton’s mentor.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed in the Senate 73-27 (Democrats 46-21; Republicans 27-6) and in the House 290-130 (Democrats 152-96; Republicans 138-34).
The percentage of Republicans for the Act was clearly higher than the percentage of Democrats.
Lonnie Kwartler
Chester