Busting the Filibusters

It seems oddly appropriate that a Congressional tradition should have begun with pirates. But the Senate GOP is leveling its guns on the time honored tradition of the filibuster -- the power of the minority to talk a bill to death. Democrats have used it to block Bush administration judicial nominees. Republicans want to change the rules, calling filibusters "tyranny by the minority." The power of the minority party to use the filibuster was to prevent "tyranny by the majority" when Congress adopted it -- allowing an opposition voice to carry. (LAT)