I agree Molly. This is not the only stupidity of Congressional 'rules'. You can add the rule that allows the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader the sole responsibility to determine which bills are sent to committee and which are "tabled for the duration. This gives dictatorial power to a single person in each house for w…
I agree Molly. This is not the only stupidity of Congressional 'rules'. You can add the rule that allows the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader the sole responsibility to determine which bills are sent to committee and which are "tabled for the duration. This gives dictatorial power to a single person in each house for whom only citizens of one State or worse, one District in one State were even given a vote. Then there is the Senate filibuster. All these imbecilic rules came about because at the time the Constitution was written there were no strong political parties. As the Democrats and Republicans grew stronger they set these dumb rules. These rules are not laws. They were not voted on, passed and signed into law by the President. They are rules made by a committee. Like all rules they can be broken. It just takes courage, a virtue lacking in either house.
I agree Molly, I'm just not sure how to go about achieving this. It's quite obvious neither House of Congress is willing to "police" itself. Look how often in the last few years we've tried to get rid of the filibuster. Perhaps a very large, very peaceful gathering of people at the Congress building politely demanding an end to these authoritarian rules?
We need change in Washington, and 22 Republican control states. But we also need a rewrite of the constitution to prevent this from happening again, resolve the supreme court term limits, undo what SCOTUS has done in the past 8 years.
The Massachusetts legislature suffers from the same ills. It is a smaller version of Washington. And it doesn't help that Democrats are in charge of both houses: party affiliation doesn't seem to matter when it comes to the corrupt wielding of power.
I agree Molly. This is not the only stupidity of Congressional 'rules'. You can add the rule that allows the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader the sole responsibility to determine which bills are sent to committee and which are "tabled for the duration. This gives dictatorial power to a single person in each house for whom only citizens of one State or worse, one District in one State were even given a vote. Then there is the Senate filibuster. All these imbecilic rules came about because at the time the Constitution was written there were no strong political parties. As the Democrats and Republicans grew stronger they set these dumb rules. These rules are not laws. They were not voted on, passed and signed into law by the President. They are rules made by a committee. Like all rules they can be broken. It just takes courage, a virtue lacking in either house.
If that is true, then it is time to call BS on these authoritarian “rules” and chuck them. The country comes before any stupid “rule” or party.
I agree Molly, I'm just not sure how to go about achieving this. It's quite obvious neither House of Congress is willing to "police" itself. Look how often in the last few years we've tried to get rid of the filibuster. Perhaps a very large, very peaceful gathering of people at the Congress building politely demanding an end to these authoritarian rules?
Part of me agrees with you, but…
See my new post.
100% Hiding behind process is just a dishonest way of weaseling out of something you never intended to do in the first place.
Our constitution needs a re-write, we can't be governed by rules set up 244 years ago.
I don't see THAT happening anytime soon.
If we the 68% who do not agree with the policies of the Republican party vote to give a 60 vote count in the senate and house this maybe could happen.
Be careful what you wish for. Who knows what might happen?
We need change in Washington, and 22 Republican control states. But we also need a rewrite of the constitution to prevent this from happening again, resolve the supreme court term limits, undo what SCOTUS has done in the past 8 years.
The Massachusetts legislature suffers from the same ills. It is a smaller version of Washington. And it doesn't help that Democrats are in charge of both houses: party affiliation doesn't seem to matter when it comes to the corrupt wielding of power.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The players often lack integrity. Rules could change with the culture of the organizations.