The Congress: Filibuster’s End

For nearly a month, the U.S. Senate has done nothing but filibuster about ending filibusters. Last week it came to an end—with an easily predictable result. On the key vote in the dispute about whether to amend the Senate’s rules so as to make it easier to shorten debate, the anti-filibuster forces were ahead 54 to 42—but fell ten short of the two-thirds majority they needed. Now, presumably, the Senate could get down to business.