So say a politician is trying to stop a bill from passing so they filibuster for a few hours. Why can’t the senate just pass the bill once the filibuster finishes up?
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Parliaments only operate in certain times. If a person, or a group of people, can filibuster for long enough, it is possible to run out the clock on that session of parliament. If that is the case, the bill will not pass in that session, and will have to wait until the next one. In that break in between sessions, a lot of things can happen that will change opinions and perhaps kill the bill.
In addition, filibusters gain attention and can pressure people into action. If a group is filibustering for days, then perhaps people will notice and start writing letters to their representatives. The media might pick up the story and bring more attention to what is going on. Filibustering can bring negative press to those trying to pass the bill, so perhaps they might back off.
EDIT: I’m not 100% sure on this, but filibustering might also lead to attrition. Let’s say a group of people filibuster for hours and hours. Everyone there will get tired and hungry, and might have to leave the floor for whatever reason. At some point, perhaps enough member of the opposition will be absent, so that the people filibustering can stop and immediately call for the vote. In the brief period of time, they might have more votes.
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