ye gods...

Here's just one interesting historical nugget from the testimony of Binder, the aforementioned political scientist: The filibuster was an accident.

It resulted from dubious advice Vice President Aaron Burr gave senators in 1805. He wrongly singled out as redundant a Senate rule that would have made filibusters impossible. The next year, senators jettisoned the rule. Still, it took decades before lawmakers realized there was little to stop them from using lengthy debates to stall the Senate.

Whether Burr changed American history more by killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel or unwittingly laying the groundwork for the Senate filibuster is an open question.

from this article on possible changes to Senate rules

(no subject)

An interesting article on relationships and love.

Thanks, rubicat!