What is a filibuster? Why are they permitted in the Senate but
not the House? Can you do anything to stop one?  I have heard
the practice of "talking a bill to death" in the Senate referred
to as a filibuster. What exactly is a filibuster? Why do they
happen only in the Senate? What ist the purpose of allowing
them? Can one Senator actually stop the entire Senate through a
filibuster or is there something that can be done to bring one
to an end?  The word filibuster comes from the Spanish word
filibusteros; a term used to describe pirates that plundered in
the seventeenth century. In the United States, the word
eventually became synonymous with rebels and insurrectionists, a
perfect term to describe a technique used by rebellious senators
looking for ways to hold up legislation.  A classic anecdote has
Thomas Jefferson asking George Washington about the purpose of
the Senate. Washington responded with a question, "Why did you
pour that coffee into your saucer?" "To cool it," Jefferson
replied. To which Washin