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The Senate has been called ?the world?s greatest deliberative body.? Today, it barely functions. That?s a sharp contrast from what the Founding Fathers intended. When they drafted the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were determined to avoid the paralysis of the ?supermajority? requirements contained in the Articles of Confederation.

Obstruction tactic No. 1?Endless Debate The word ?debate? does not mean much in the United States Senate. Rather than being a free exchange of ideas intended to convince other senators of one position or another, most Senate debate time is occupied by senators giving closely vetted speeches to an almost-entirely empty chamber. Nevertheless, the Senate rules make it very difficult to stop the serial speeches and actually hold a vote. Unless at least 60 senators agree to hold a vote, the speeches go on forever.

Just how bad are things today in the Senate? If the climate of obstructionism in the Senate that exists today represented how that body has always operated, landmark legislation that brought social and economic justice to millions of Americans would never have been enacted. Organizing and bargaining rights through the National Labor Relations Act. Secure retirement and health care for older Americans that resulted from the Social Security and Medicare programs. An end to years of discrimination endured by people of color through the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

Despite their best efforts, Senate Republicans and three Democrats-in-name-only couldn't block new National Mediation Board rules that will finally bring democracy to union elections for flight attendants, passenger service agents and other airline and rail workers.

Ohio Senate candidate and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher joined CWA leaders Wednesday to condemn Senate Republicans for blocking a bill that would end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. "Job creation is not a political game," Fisher said, describing how Republicans have abused the Senate rules to derail legislation that would help American workers and their families. "What was once a well intentioned rule to protect the minority party has become a partisan weapon of mass destruction."