Senate GOP Bypasses Dem Boycott of Mnuchin, Price By Suspending Rules

[Jose Garcia]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday morning suspended the rules and voted to approve President Donald Trump's nominees to lead the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services even though Democrats on the committee were not present.

Democrats on the committee refused to vote on Steve Mnuchin and Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) until both nominees answered additional questions.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/price-mnuchin-committee-passes?utm_content=buffer26684&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[DetlefK]

1. And yet another precedent set. There is no way the Republicans will regret this one day.

Endlessly blocking a Supreme Court nominee? What could go wrong?
Refusing to release tax-returns? What could go wrong?
Mixing business and Presidency? What could go wrong?
Bending the rules to ram through nominees? What could go wrong?

[YOHABLO]

6. Did you mean NOT regret this one day?

[DetlefK]

20. That was sarcasm. Didn't you see how I raised my eyebrow while typing this???

[rurallib]

48. Sarcasm or not, they seem to pay little price for ignoring rules, constitutions and precedent

actually I think you are right, until they actually pay a price for their shit, they will keep doing it.

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. Suspend the rules?

Why even have rules?

Why not just cheat? Oh, of course they did.

[narnian60]

42. +1

[starshine00]

54. I love that phrase 'suspend the rules'

I don't run red lights, I just suspend the rules. Steal cable, naw, I'm just suspending rules. Cheat on my taxes...again, just rule suspension.

Maybe when looters steal during riots they should give this as an excuse, 'hey dude, we decided to suspend the rules'.

[triron]

56. Some of them are as illegitimate at Trump

since they got into office by same illegitimate means.

[Turbineguy]

3. Well, that was a success!

NOT.

[asiliveandbreathe]

4. Now they go to the full senate..we will see how many rep. sen.

are in on the coup...

[Achilleaze]

7. + 1

[Freethinker65]

5. The end.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

8. Let them do this...

The Republicans OWN EVERYTHING right now, so let them do this, let them own everything, which means when Washington DC implodes....which it will, the whole mess gets dumped into the Republican/Trump blame basket. I think the Democrats should continue a full court, scorched earth policy on everything the Republicans want....as Ryan says, "The Republicans have the votes."

[Equinox Moon]

11. I pose to you a crimp in your logic...

Voting rights and elections; this is the only way we change them out, and republicans are well aware of this. They already have rigged elections and suppressed the vote so severely, that we ended up this current mess/coup.

They will be active passing more laws restricting voting rights to keep themselves in power. We have a huge problem!

[toddwv]

46. The had to rig a system that was already

running in their favor by giving small lightly powered states more heft in elections and representation.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Tell me about the implosion

I'm all ears ... it seems there is no karma, no justice, no rebound ...
maybe I'm just not thinking well ...

The only thing I can think of is that people learn from role models, and
once they see rules are ignored, they can just ignore anything they
don't like ... ok there will be consequences if they're caught, but it does
feed the idea of a nation of lawlessness

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

50. Critical Mass....

In my mind, it is a question of reaching the tipping point, reaching that Critical Mass where America will stand up (like we did with the Vietnam War) and truly be heard. That time is coming based upon the people who are very soon going to be very negatively affected by the agenda Trump and Republicans intend to carry out.

Environmental Rape in the name of Corporate Profits
Elimination of ACA (Obama Care)
Attacking both Medicare and Social Security
No help in reducing/eliminating college debt
No real help or solution for Dreamers
Targeting Women, LGBT, Immigrants, Refugees, POC, Musilims, and building of a wall
No chance of seeing Minimum Wage raised to $15

I could go on, but this list exemplifies the Crimes against Humanity (overly dramatic) that will be the Republican Controlled government's list of accomplishments (SHAME) that will strike at, and hurt every America family, and based on this, believe when the tide shifts that it will be both swift, and brutal.

[Botany]

17. That used to be the case but "they" have rigged the elections

Look @ Gov. Brownback in Kansas even a big % of Republicans
did not like him after the made a total mess of the state but still
he got re-elected the same thing applies to Wlaker in Wisconsin
too.

Trump only got in by cheating and the GOP knows that and they
are fine w/the coup.

[global1]

9. Who Didn't See That Coming?....

the Repugs always overplay themselves and they did it again with this move.

We just have to make sure that fot the 2018 elections that we drive home to the American People that it's the Repugs that are or have destroyed this country.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. We shouldn't wait until 2018

There are elections in every state this year - 2017. And we need to get involved down on the state and local levels so that we can regain control of our states for the 2020 census.

I did see a story here on DU about several thousand Democrats announcing that they are going to run for office (I think for the first time), so that is our start. We have to build up our foundation.

[global1]

32. I'm With You On That For 2017...

and for 2018 we need to bring our protests down to the 'congressional district' level and make sure the House Repugs from the district are out of jobs.

The reason that 2018 is so important to me is that if we are able to win back the Senate and the House - we can contain Trump and any damage he might do - until we're able to vote him out in 2020.

[HoneyBadger]

10. And like that Gorsuch is old news

The life of a headline is going to be measured in minutes under this administration.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. THIS

It will be an endless series of outrage after outrage to wear people down until they reach fatigue, tune out, and cease complaining.

It's like a team doing a blitz on a quarterback with every play.

[KittyWampus]

14. Then Mnuchin and Price are illegitimate too.

[barbtries]

15. not a democracy.

constitution, trashed.

this is as bad as i feared, and where does it end.

[MrModerate]

18. "We're Republicans . . . we don't need no stinking rules because God is on our side." n/t

[meow2u3]

37. Translation: we don't need no stinking rules

because we're not on God's side. We have to cheat and move the goalposts to get our way, thus say the repukes.

[bucolic_frolic]

19. How can anything function without rules?

Everytime you try to do something, the rules change.

It's like going to a supermarket and finding out the prices all change
when you enter the checkout

[Jersey Devil]

21. So how does a committee without a quorum meet to change rules?

If there is no quorum under existing rules then how can they "meet" to change rules?

[onetexan]

26. More lawsuits in the works

[Pachamama]

28. It can't - this is "Rule WITHOUT Law" - we have a constitutional crisis and it's only growing

The Minority that continues to be marginalized and ignored and tossed aside and threatened, was doing the ONLY thing they could within the rules of the Constitution and agreed upon rules of the Senate and what does the Majority GOP do: they IGNORE and TOSS THE RULES!!!!



This is WAR...

Now more than ever, the Democratic Minority needs to fight with all they have...not listen to the propaganda...they have to fight...

Because if they don't - it's all over anyway. And I don't mean by over that I mean their political elected jobs, or winning - I mean our democracy, our Constitution that swore to uphold...our Nation.

[Lurks Often]

31. In the Senate a majority is considered a quorum.

The party in power always has a majority on any of the regular committees

[Jersey Devil]

33. No, not unless 1 member of opposition party is present, under the existing rules

To change the rules so that a member of the opposition party does not have to be present the committee would have to have a "meeting", which it could not do under their rules without a Democrat present.

They could go to the full Senate to have them change committee rules, but the committee itself, without a quorum, could not have a "meeting" or vote on anything under Roberts Rules.

[Lurks Often]

35. The Senate rules are up to the Senate and no one else

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Section_5:_Procedure

"Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide."

The majority party can change the rules anytime they like, they may use Roberts Rules as a guide more often then not, but the majority is NOT bound by Roberts Rules.

[hollowdweller]

22. I hope when they have their scandals the dems hilight them being pushed thru

[SCVDem]

23. We should all fly our flag...

Upside down.

There can be no greater disrespect than we have endured under this asshole!

He is a clear and present danger and our country is in distress!

[onetexan]

27. You nailed it. The Dems & GOP leaders still listening to their conscience

need to draft impeachment grounds exactly that - that trump presents a clear & present danger to our democracy. The longer he remains the worse off we are.

[elmac]

41. I'm displaying a russian flag in my front bay window

never had a flag poll, wasn't much of a flag waver.

[Skittles]

53. see my avatar?

yes, we all should

[SCVDem]

55. I saw that.

Too bad we have to do this.

I hope everyone knows what the upside down flag signifies.

Will NATO come to help us out?

REGIME CHANGE!

[Blue Idaho]

24. Then it's on their heads...

Fine with me.

[ananda]

25. The only answer is us, the people.

We cannot rely on any legislators to "save us."

We have to show up at the capitol in large numbers
and obstruct the Reeps at every pass.

[cilla4progress]

29. The coup

Continues.

[DK504]

30. Lookie

they don't have to follow the rules!! Where have we seen this before?

Once again they are trying to change the rules in the middle of the game becasue they are losing.

One again time for mass emails to start flying.

[Stonepounder]

36. The things that really scares me

a. The GOP is a willing accomplice to the destruction of our nation.
b. Seemingly, a majority of the population is happy with the destruction of our nation
c. The GOP is content with the destruction of the concept of 'rule of law'
d. The GOP is gleeful at the perceived destruction of the Democratic Party
e. I remember the USSR, one dictator and one party - they had elections, but only one candidate for each position and that seems to be what the GOP wants.
f. And don't forget the theocrats.

The longer this goes on the less hope I have for the country I have lived in all my life.

[Percy Cholmondeley]

45. Changed rules again - a rear-guard action

If they hadn't changed the rules back 70 or so years ago, BHO would be president now. They're desperate, and they have to do this dirty stuff.

[WestCoastDem42]

34. Unbelievable!

We are REALLY screwed.

[keithbvadu2]

38. Suspending rules

“Suspending rules”

Then it will be::::::::

Suspend laws

Suspend the Constitution.

Republicans have already suspended ethics, morals, honor and much more.

[bucolic_frolic]

39. #AlternativeRules

Everything the GOP does now has an alternative ready for thievery

Hacking, voter suppression, Senate rules, press rules ... it is a rolling
coup d'etat

They've been setting this up a long time, decades at least

[BillyBobBrilliant]

40. So these guys noticed there wasn't a democrat

In the room, and then they decided to have a 'circle jerk.'

How befitting...

[nikibatts]

43. So when you can't win by the rules, change the rules.

That is what the GOP has always done. They either change the rules or ignore the rules. This from the "law and order" party.

[Bayard]

44. Billionaire's Club

I heard that phrase a few days ago in reference to the cabinet picks. I like it.

[joanbarnes]

47. Coup

[lancelyons]

49. Democrats dont have much power to do anything.

Republicans can change the rules for votes and then put them back in place and then pass another rule that rules cant be changed in the future.

Look republicans will do under handed tricks as Democrats do. Its all part of the process.

In North Carolina they passed rules that pulled the power away from Democrats. WHoever is in power can do what they want.

What to change that?

GET OUT AND VOTE.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. The GOPers are playing Calvinball.

[lark]

52. I fucking hate these traitorous Repugs.

Destroying our country, one vote at a time.