Bill Bennett: “we turn on the television these days and get bombarded with advertisements saying: ``Write your Senator.'' ``Call your…”

“we turn on the television these days and get bombarded with advertisements saying: ``Write your Senator.'' ``Call your Senator and preserve the filibuster.'' ``Get ahold of your Senator and make sure this tool that provides rights and protections of the minority gets preserved.'' I have been associated with the Senate now since I was a 19-year-old intern sitting in the family gallery in the 1950s, falling in love with the debate that was going on, on the Senate floor. I must say there were usually more Senators here in the 1950s than there are now, but I understand, with television, the Senators stay in their offices and watch, and I am happy to accept that. But I understand the traditions of this body have great roots in history that many times get ignored. That is, these roots get ignored by people writing columns and stories today. I want to go on record very firmly as being on the same side as those people who are buying the ads saying: ``Preserve the filibuster.'' I have watched the filibuster be used to help shape legislation. I watched the filibuster be used as a tool of compromise. I think the filibuster is a very worthwhile thing to hang on to in order to preserve the rights of the minority. Now, that position of saying ``let's save the filibuster'' has not always been popular. If you go back 10 years ago, when a proposal was made on the Senate floor to abolish the filibuster, the New York Times editorialized in favor of that position.…”