With Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) reaching the milestone of becoming the longest serving member of Congress today, it's interesting to watch a C-SPAN interview from a few years ago in which he talks about the role of the U.S. Senate.
Said Byrd: "As long as there is a place where one can speak as loudly as he wishes and as long as his lungs will last, then we can be sure the people's liberties will endure."