Sound of the Mushroom: Senate Brinksmanship through the Years

Sound of the Mushroom

This blog is my effort to puzzle out the world. I'll write whatever comes into my head, but probably return frequently to my obsessions. I seem to be interested in the workings of democracy, economics, the functioning of social groups, the future of humanity, scientific concepts, statistical concepts, logical thinking, nuclear power, evolution, space, the environment and most everything else. I'll try to post only when I think I have my own angle on something.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Senate Brinksmanship through the Years

Lee Harris, author of Civilization and its Enemies, has a post reviewing the history of the filibuster as well as other legislative threats and practices, the "nuclear" options of their day. He feels that these stratagems have generally served to protect minority groups over the years, with regard to their most deeply held concerns, and to preserve the integrity of the Union. John C. Calhoun comes off as a hero somehow.

When an issue is associated with strong feelings by partisans at each extreme (the U-shaped intensity chart), then we must actively seek consensus in order to avoid the Tyranny of the Majority. I have talked at length about these issues in previous posts:

Three Tyrannies and the Filibuster
Purple Thoughts
The Problem with Hardball

5/17/2005 10:28 PM

UPDATE: Here's one I forgot

Weakest Members

5/19/2005 04:35 PM

http://www.techcentralstation.com/051105C.html

Old site:

Three Tyrannies and the Filibuster

Purple Thoughts

The Problem with Hardball