filibustero

The term filibuster traces back to the Spanish word filibustero or pirate (itself derived from the Dutch vrijbuiter or freebooter) and refers to the capacity of obstructionist legislators to hijack or "pirate" legislative debate.

Jerome Karabel: Bring Back the Cots! The Filibuster and Health Care Reform 2009

The word filibuster is derived from the Spanish "filibustero" -- meaning "pirate," an entirely appropriate frame to better understand the dogma of those for whom pro-consumer means anti-business.

Adam Levin: Consumers Be Damned: Senator Shelby, Captain Queeg and the Politics of No Adam Levin 2011

In America's early days, a filibuster was a pirate -- "filibustero" in the original Spanish -- a soldier of fortune who plundered foreign lands without his government's consent.

Bob Edgar: The Pirating Senate Bob Edgar 2010

In America's early days, a filibuster was a pirate -- "filibustero" in the original Spanish -- a soldier of fortune who plundered foreign lands without his government's consent.

Bob Edgar: The Pirating Senate Bob Edgar 2010

In America's early days, a filibuster was a pirate -- "filibustero" in the original Spanish -- a soldier of fortune who plundered foreign lands without his government's consent.

Bob Edgar: The Pirating Senate Bob Edgar 2010

In America's early days, a filibuster was a pirate -- "filibustero" in the original Spanish -- a soldier of fortune who plundered foreign lands without his government's consent.

Bob Edgar: The Pirating Senate Bob Edgar 2010

In America's early days, a filibuster was a pirate -- "filibustero" in the original Spanish -- a soldier of fortune who plundered foreign lands without his government's consent.

Bob Edgar: The Pirating Senate Bob Edgar 2010

The word itself has always seemed a wee bit creepy to me: filibuster (n.) 1580s, flibutor “pirate,” probably ultimately from Du. vrijbuiter “freebooter,” used of pirates in the West Indies as Sp. filibustero and Fr. flibustier, either or both of which gave the word to Amer.

Think Progress » New poll finds more Americans in favor of eliminating the filibuster. 2010

The term 'filibuster' was derived from the Spanish filibustero meaning 'pirate'.

Now What? More Piracy? 2008

Here passes a person very different from either of these -- a tall and martial figure, a filibustero in every clime, hunted with blood-hounds in the Spanish sierras when Don Carlos needed him, floating naked on bladders down the Danube, with despatches in his mouth, when the Hungarians were sore pressed.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 12, No. 33, December, 1873 Various