Afternoons Live with Dave and John from December 27, 2011

https://davidraybowman.com/2026/03/23/icebergs-are-no-danger/

Our story begins on the island of Pharos, where Menelaus sat stranded with treasure in his hull and no wind in his sails. He discovered the reason for his misery only when the old sea god revealed the truth. Menelaus had been so focused on gathering wealth that he forgot the sacrifice owed to the gods. His neglect trapped him. His arrogance stalled him. His failure of duty held him in place.

That ancient lesson fits our moment with uncomfortable precision. While Menelaus wrestled for a way forward, our own leaders seem content to count their gold on the shore. Two modern politicians have enriched themselves while forgetting the tribute owed to the Republic and to the people who sent them to serve. Their actions reveal capriciousness, not duty.

Today we will explore why this keeps happening and whether the nation still deserves better leadership.

Today we are heading into the marble halls of the United States Senate to trace the long, tangled story of the filibuster and the rule that was supposed to control it. From a mistake in 1806 to the crisis of 1917, from Strom Thurmond’s twenty-four-hour speech to the silent filibusters of today, the Senate has perfected the art of doing nothing at great length.

We will look at how cloture was born in wartime, how it was abused in the fight over civil rights, and how it finally became the 60-vote rule that defines modern gridlock. Along the way, we will ask the question that every frustrated citizen already knows the answer to: how did the world’s greatest deliberative body forget how to deliberate?