In an age of intensely polarized politics, the filibuster assures that a genuine consensus exists for Congress to move forward.

In a new piece on American.com, AEI's Steven F. Hayward explains that the filibuster can be said to have worked according to the framers' design.

The issues related to the filibuster and other Senate rules have implications for the Senate, other institutions, and the fabric of governance in America.

The frivolous use of the filibuster could be stopped by making it the minority's responsibility to keep the filibuster going or by returning to the old model in which a filibuster means that the Senate has to stop everything and debate around the clock.

It is important that an intense Senate minority has some weapons at its disposal to make high-handed majority actions suffer consequences, but due to the misuse of the filibuster, the way the Senate operates now is dysfunctional and costly.

Norman J. Ornstein testifies on the filibuster today and its broader consequences for the Senate, other institutions, and the fabric of governance in America.

Congress must take action to reform the use of the filibuster, but a recent congressional hearing offered some hope as it was more than partisans just talking past one another.

Political dysfunction. Partisanship at record levels. Attack politics run amok. And public approval of Congress scraping the single digits (Sen. John McCain is fond of saying it's down to blood rlatives and paid staff).