Senate Archives - Public Seminar

Politics

Battle of the Budget

What happens when the Republicans filibuster a necessary measure to keep the government operating?

September 29, 2021 • by Heather Cox Richardson

On September 27, the Senate considered a bill to fund the government until December and to raise the debt ceiling. The Republicans joined together to filibuster it. Such a move is extraordinary. Not only did the Republicans vote against a measure that would keep the government operating and keep it from ...

Democracy

After the Election, New Leadership and Old Cronyism

Joe Biden steps up as the Trump administration manufactures lies in an attempt to hold on — and perhaps profit

November 11, 2020 • by Heather Cox Richardson

I had hoped that the days when the news came like a firehose were over, but so far, no luck. On Monday, the stock market jumped 1200 points in its first day of trading after the announcement of Joe Biden’s victory. Over the course of the day it was up as ...

After the Election, New Leadership and Old Cronyism

Democracy

The U.S. Needs to Protect Free and Fair Elections

Here’s how

June 23, 2020 • by Katie Scofield

When eight states and Washington, D.C., all held elections facing the dual challenges of Covid-19 and demonstrations protesting anti-Black violence prompted -- this time -- by the killing of George Floyd, we learned that cumbersome voting systems have become more fragile than ever. Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Maryland were unable to ...

The U.S. Needs to Protect Free and Fair Elections

From the Editors

Impeached Forever

As of this week, the United States is still a country of laws

January 22, 2020 • by Claire Potter

As we go to press this week, all 50 United States Senators have spent the entire day in the same room together, something that almost never happens. In fact during lulls when they are not voting on anything, Senators can go for days or weeks without fully convening; Senate speeches ...