When you can't get your way, change the rules!

[hjmick]

Oh yeah, the Democrats are so much better than the Republicans. Can't get something passed? Let's change the rules! Don't like the process? Change the rules! Make no mistake folks, these people we elect are simply different sides of the same coin. Both parties are to blame for the intransigence we see in Congress.

After losing a string of embarrassing votes on the House floor because of procedural maneuvering, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has decided to change the current House Rules to completely shut down the floor to the minority.

The Democratic Leadership is threatening to change the current House Rules regarding the Republican right to the Motion to Recommit or the test of germaneness on the motion to recommit. This would be the first change to the germaneness rule since 1822.

In protest, the House Republicans are going to call procedural motions every half hour.

Oh goodie! The Republicans are going to throw a tantrum!

Christ almighty, can we just recall all of them?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Ohh so its perfectly ok for dems to prevent almost half the house from participating?

As I recall the Dems made a HUGE point the last few years when ever the Republicans even hinted they might change something, with the Press 100 percent behind the Democrats. The Dems whined over and over how they were "shut out" and that if elected they wouldn't shut anyone out.

 

[hjmick]

Ohh so its perfectly ok for dems to prevent almost half the house from participating?

As I recall the Dems made a HUGE point the last few years when ever the Republicans even hinted they might change something, with the Press 100 percent behind the Democrats. The Dems whined over and over how they were "shut out" and that if elected they wouldn't shut anyone out.

You caught that bit of hypocrisy too, I see.

 

[Truthmatters]

Link?

 

[hjmick]

Link?

GOP threatens to shut down House over rules change
By Jackie Kucinich
May 16, 2007


House Republicans Wednesday threatened to shut down House business by calling a series of procedural votes until the Democratic leadership assured them that rules governing key parliamentary procedures would go unchanged.

Republicans began their assault in the mid-afternoon after hearing that the Democratic leadership allegedly planned to change the germaneness rule, which would limit the ability of the minority to challenge provisions in a bill on the floor.

“This is an astonishing attempt by the majority leadership to duck accountability for tax-and-spend policies the American people do not want,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). “The majority leadership is gutting House rules that have been in place for 185 years so they can raise taxes and increase government spending without a vote. House Republicans will use every tool available to fight this abuse of power.”

more...

 

[Annie]

It seems to have ended, read the bottom highlight though about immigration:

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/017658.php

Breaking News from the House

Since January, House Republicans have had quite a bit of success at frustrating Democratic legislation through motions to recommit. The virtue of the motion to recommit, as I understand it, is that it forces Democrats to go on record, and some have been unwilling to follow their leadership on measures that are unpopular back home.

We've just learned that the Democrats are now striking back by, as a reader puts it:

..

.threatening to change the current House Rules regarding the Republican right to the Motion to Recommit (specifically on "paygo" provisions) or the test of germaneness on the motion to recommit. This would be the first change to the germaneness rule since 1822. That's wonk-speak for making it easier to raise taxes, without forcing their Members to take the tough votes on the record.
​

The Republicans have responded by shutting down the House with one procedural motion after another. Congressman Eric Cantor explains what is happening on his web site:

Bottom line - the Democrats are preventing their Members from having to vote on the tax increases that they are trying to impose on the American People.
​

We will post updates as they become available. This seems like a good time to call or email your Congressman.

UPDATE: More here. Our source writes:

The Dems are beginning to feel the heat. There is a rumor that they might be about to fold their hand, but that's only a rumor. One way or another, it seems to be working. House GOP is sticking together.​

FURTHER UPDATE: It's over. House Republicans are proclaiming victory as Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer have abandoned their effort to change the rules to allow their majority to operate with more stealth.

Let's give some credit to conservatives in the House. The conventional wisdom is that in the House, unlike the Senate, the minority is more or less powerless. But the House Republicans seem to be well led and to be using effective tactics. They have foiled a number of pieces of bad and unpopular legislation with motions to recommit; hence today's effort by the Democrats to change the rules to take that option away from the minority.

PAUL adds: Speaking of the Senate, rumor has it that Republicans there are about to cave on immigration reform and join forces with Ted Kennedy. You could tell this was probably in the works from the comments of Senators Brownback and (especially) McCain during the debate last night. No Senator who is a party to this capitulation will get my vote in the Republican presidential primary.

 

[hjmick]

Good.

 

[Truthmatters]

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/germane_over.htm


I will have to see aan unbiased report of what happened today.

It is very possible reading the procedure that the Rs were using it to stall the progress of what the Dems were trying to get done.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Doesn't anybody think its time we actually started paying for Dubbyuh's war instead of mortgaging the futures of our children's children's children? Of course, it might be a good way to force the here-to-fore staunch supporters of Dubbyuh's war to STOP supporting it...Make them pay for it.

 

[Bullypulpit]

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/germane_over.htm


I will have to see aan unbiased report of what happened today.

It is very possible reading the procedure that the Rs were using it to stall the progress of what the Dems were trying to get done.

Thanks for the link, but I wouldn't be expecting that unbiased report anytime soon, the quibble-dicks on both side of the aisle need to be slapped down.

 

[Truthmatters]

Transcripts of the congressional record would do.

 

[Alucard]

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/germane_over.htm


I will have to see aan unbiased report of what happened today.

It is very possible reading the procedure that the Rs were using it to stall the progress of what the Dems were trying to get done.

There will be no unbiased report, the liberal press cant sugarcoat it.. So they just wont report it at all... If this was a Republican move it would be the lead on every news station and on page 1 of every newspaper...b

 

[Truthmatters]

uh, the press doesnt control the congressional record.

 

[Alucard]

uh, the press doesnt control the congressional record.

Uh ... you were asking for an unbiased report.... dope

 

[jillian]

Ohh so its perfectly ok for dems to prevent almost half the house from participating?

As I recall the Dems made a HUGE point the last few years when ever the Republicans even hinted they might change something, with the Press 100 percent behind the Democrats. The Dems whined over and over how they were "shut out" and that if elected they wouldn't shut anyone out.

Did you have a problem with it when the Repubs shut out the dems for 6 years?


I already know the answer

 

[red states rule]

Did you have a problem with it when the Repubs shut out the dems for 6 years?


I already know the answer

That should be news to the Dems

Ted Kennedy wrote the education bill and the "power sharing" Republicans gave to the Dems

it is typical for the Dems to change the rules when they lose

Another reason why the Dem Congress has a 29% approval rating

 

[red states rule]

Ohh so its perfectly ok for dems to prevent almost half the house from participating?

As I recall the Dems made a HUGE point the last few years when ever the Republicans even hinted they might change something, with the Press 100 percent behind the Democrats. The Dems whined over and over how they were "shut out" and that if elected they wouldn't shut anyone out.

Yes...this is the Democrat version of nonpartisan politics...that is what SanFranNanny promised...isn't it?...and end to partisan politics?

 

[red states rule]

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/germane_over.htm


I will have to see aan unbiased report of what happened today.

It is very possible reading the procedure that the Rs were using it to stall the progress of what the Dems were trying to get done.

the Democrats can't get what THEY want shoved through, so Pelosi is throwing a tantrum and they're just going to cut off the voice of the American people represented by the minority leadership? They're changing rules that haven't been touched in almost two centuries, to suit themselves?

Wow. What a splendid display of integrity and honor. Not.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Did you have a problem with it when the Repubs shut out the dems for 6 years?

I already know the answer

I suggest you read what the Dems are proposing , especially the part where they are changing procedures that haven't been changed since the 1830's, so much for how the Republicans did it to them, ehh?

And of course we should just ignore the promises of the Dems that they would do NO such thing.....

 

[red states rule]

I suggest you read what the Dems are proposing , especially the part where they are changing procedures that haven't been changed since the 1830's, so much for how the Republicans did it to them, ehh?

And of course we should just ignore the promises of the Dems that they would do NO such thing.....

PELOSI AND ETHICS.. hey I thought they called themselves the party of ethics?? guess they will get hit hard on their slogan come 2008..when it is time to vote for them again...esp when they ran this last election on "We are the party of Ethics"