Encryption | “Philipster”, a weapon that kills quietly

(New York) This is the story of the so-called “Philipster” gun, and it could kill the next gun bill in the US Senate.

Richard Head
Special collaboration

In XIX^e And XX^e For centuries, advocates of slavery and racism have used it to prevent or delay the enactment of laws that threaten their own interests or hegemonic intentions.

In XXI^e For centuries, allies of the National Rifle Association have been used to bury any activity aimed at restricting access to firearms.

They were found at work on April 17, 2013, four months and three days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. On that day, the Senate held a referendum on three of Barack Obama’s favorite measures. The first two, which sought to ban some assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, were rejected by the majority.

But the third 100 senators had the support of 55 (and, according to opinion polls, 90% of Americans). It aims to generalize the psychiatric and judicial pioneering research of arms buyers. With the help of 41 Republican senators and four “Philippisters” elected from conservative states (Alaska, Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota), this is no less gigoville.

How can minority senators impose their will in this way?

Before going into the origins of this confusing rule: a reminder: since 1975, with a few exceptions, it has been enough to announce a “Philippister” for a senator to pass a bill. 60 votes.

This is why the passage of the gun bill after the Buffalo and Wolde massacres is uncertain and unlikely.

That is why there is never any opposition to this rule.

Mistake made by Aaron Burr

According to political scientist Sarah Binder, there is an error in the appearance of “Philipster”. In 1805, Vice President Aaron Burr persuaded senators to repeal the Senate rule, ending the debate on a bill by a simple majority vote, which was superfluous.

She is not. Moreover, beginning in 1841, Democrat South Carolina Senator John Calhoun, a prominent pro-slavery lawyer, used this error to prevent or delay the passage of bills opposed by the southern states. He and his fellow slaveholders can freeze the Senate for days or weeks by lecturing without interruption in the Senate Chamber.

As Adam Gentilson recalls, Calhoun called anyone who tried to put an end to this first form of Philipster a “tyrant.” Kill Switch – The rise of the modern Senate and the paralysis of American democracyA book on the history of the Senate he published last year.

In 1917, the Senate finally corrected Burrin’s error. Under Rule 22, the upper house of Congress can now end the debate on the bill with a two – thirds majority.

But the new rule did not put an end to “Philippester”. Beginning in the 1930s, this 67-vote majority became an obstacle to allowing Democratic Georgia Senator Richard Russell and his fellow Southern separatists to torpedo several civil rights bills.

Russell and his team finally agreed on June 10, 1964. After 60 days of debate and 14 hours and 13 minutes of speech by Virginia Democrat Senator Robert Byrd, the Senate leaders were able to garner the votes needed to overcome the ban. 67 votes put an end to “Philippester” preventing future adoption Civil Rights Act 1964.

The zeal of Mitch McConnell

“When we saw that the minority white conservatives outnumbered themselves, it primarily helped to overthrow our democratic system,” writes Adam Gentilson. Kill switch.

That is still true today. Of course, in 2005 George W. Modern Democrats have used “Philipster” to thwart some conservative plans, including the privatization of the public pension scheme (Social Security) that Bush wanted. But no leader of the Senate has used this weapon enthusiastically. Mitch McConnell as Senator of the Republic of Kentucky.

From 1941 to 1971, the Senate had only 35 votes to end a Philippines. However, in the first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, when Mitch McConnell was the minority leader, he was ranked 91st.

Throughout the Obama era, “Philipster” helped kill climate, immigration and, of course, gun bills.

Why not get rid of it? Democratic senators can do so by obtaining a simple majority vote. The Senate is chaired by 51 votes, including Vice President Kamala Harris. But at least two members of their group, Joe Mancin (West Virginia) and Kirsten Cinema (Arizona), refuse. Senator Mancin argued that “Philipster” has been part of the “Senate tradition” since its inception.

This is wrong. As the book shows Kill switch, None of the founding fathers imagined an upper house where a super majority would be required to pass laws. Benjamin Franklin estimated that “a system in which minorities outnumber the majority would be contrary to the general practice of assemblies in all nations and of all ages,” quoting only him.

Now, nowadays, a senator has to call a special line to declare a “Philippister” and thus impose a 60-vote ban. In the time of the likes of John Calhoun or Richard Russell he did not have to preach in front of his colleagues. According to accepted revelation, “Philipster” has become “quiet”. But it kills effectively. And nothing pleased the National Rifle Association.