Democracy Docket: “In June, Senate Republicans blocked a landmark piece of voting rights legislation, the For the People Act. In October, they blocked a revised, compromised version, the Freedom to Vote Act. In November, it was the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act that failed. If Democrats hold a slim majority in the U.S. Senate, why does progress on crucial voting rights bills keep stalling? The answer lies in a procedural tool in the Senate to delay or block the vote on a piece of legislation — the filibuster.  In today’s Explainer, we outline how the filibuster actually works, its history of thwarting progressive policies and given the intransigence of today’s Republican party, what steps Senate Democrats would need to take to bypass it and enact voting rights legislation.”