So under those circumstances. when we see the meager amount of legislation which. notwithstanding the overwhelming problem. has resulted in the Federal Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960. which deal essentially with voting and other elementary crimes. and notwithstanding heroic efforts in the Senate to do something about the problem. one begins to appreciate why. in respect to this subject. we are constantly operating under the gun of the filibuster. We are limited in everything we do by the fact that we are told. "If you do not take this while you can get it. you will not get anything." That statement goes not only for civil rights legislation. but also. as we shall develop in this debate. other items of proposed legislation. It would even include the proposed immigration legislation which was discussed the other day. which has been frustrated. twisted. and shaped by the power of a minority in this body to Immobilize it. As these instances develop. one begins to realize that we are talking about a fundamental issue in American public life and in American society. I fear that we are engaged in a cause which not only involves rulemaking in the Senate. but also is very fundamental to the way in which our country and our Government shall be operated.
Keywords matched
immigration