A plea for sanity

In this week's Newsweek, George Will argues against the GOP temptation to eradicate the fillibuster:

The filibuster is an important defense of minority rights, enabling democratic government to measure and respect not merely numbers but also intensity in public controversies. Filibusters enable intense minorities to slow the governmental juggernaut. Conservatives, who do not think government is sufficiently inhibited, should cherish this blocking mechanism. And someone should puncture Republicans' current triumphalism by reminding them that someday they will again be in the minority.

This is an interesting formulation. I definitely agree that the filibuster, while sometimes overused, is an important valve for serious opposition. Voters can always resort to the boot for Senators that they think are exlusively or excessively obstructionist...

(via How Appealing)

Update: The NYTimes has an editorial/historical review on this same topic titled "Mr. Smith Goes Under the Gavel."