Did Rand Paul make filibuster reform more likely?

The libertarian made the filibuster sexy again. But he may have also bolstered arguments that Republicans are abusing the Senate's rules

Sen. Rand Paul
(Image credit: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is getting mostly positive reviews for his quixotic, 13-hour filibuster, which delayed a confirmation vote on President Obama's nominee to head the CIA, John Brennan. Supporters in both parties praised Paul for calling attention to the administration's controversial use of armed drones to kill terrorist suspects, even if they're U.S. citizens. But not everyone was pleased. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Thursday lambasted Paul, and argued that the high-profile use of the filibuster — a move the GOP minority has used frequently to block Democratic initiatives — would "give ammunition to those critics who say that the rules of the Senate are being abused."

Many agree with McCain, but for the opposite reason: Paul showed in dramatic fashion how the filibuster should be applied. "Rand Paul may be a flake," says Frank Rich at New York magazine. but "his all-too-short-lived piece of performance art" did the nation a valuable service.

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.