Kill Switch by Adam Jentleson

 Subtitle: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy.

 Simply put, the Kill Switch references Rule 22 which was devised to bring a filibuster to an end. Back in the day when being a Senator carried with it a responsibility to reasonably debate and debate and debate..., it kept the southern group from blocking Civil Rights legislation through the filibuster. It comes with a need for a super majority (currently 60) to end the filibuster. In a ferociously divided Senate, whose job it seems to be just to keep the other side from getting what it wants, it means that just a small few can keep something from even being voted on - even if the country has made it clear that they want something done. It is what  kept universal background checks from being passed after the Newtown shootings. 55 Senators wanted to vote yes but not 60 - not enough to stop the filibuster.  It never came to a vote.  There is a lot of fascinating history about the Senate and disturbing revelations about the current cast of bad actors. It is frightening but Jentleson does offer some hope for a fundamental change.