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Filibustering in the Senate As Jefferson Smith filibustered the Senate in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, many senators to date have done the same concerning bills in which they did not agree with or ones in which they wanted to be stopped completely. Franklin Burdette in his book entitled Filibustering in the Senate describes in detail how filibustering works and also who has used this tactic and for what reason. The work filibuster comes from the Spanish word filibusteros, which describes maranderes and freebooters. But today the American political definition is one of reproach signifying flagrant legislative obstruction, says Burdette. However in the true act of filibustering it is a devise that enables Senators to delay business in order that the business may be stopped for a brief time or a way in which the bill can be totally rejected. Filibustering has been used many times in Congress. It was not until after the House of Representatives grew to 435 members that it was decided that the House shoul