GOP threatens to shut down House over rules change

[whopis01]

Source: The Hill

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.

Stacey Bernard, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), said the Republican antics were counterproductive and that they had not even seen the content of the bill they were protesting.

A GOP leadership aide said if the rule were changed, Republicans would continue to call the procedural votes and begin to thwart progress on the committee level as well. “We will bring down the House,” the aide said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-threatens-to-shut-down-house-over-rules-change-2007-05-16.html

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This is in response to Pelosi's attempt to shut down the Republicans in the House.

I say good for her. They are the minority. They are not in charge. It is time for them to shut up for a change.

[depakid]

1. The Dems could learn a lot from this

After having acted like battered women for the past 7+ years, making excuses and pretending that they didn't have any power to thwart the far right's agenda and stop their abuse.

[Catch22Dem]

2. Ahh, but the nuclear option, was good governing when they were in charge?

You can't throw out the argument about breaking tradition when not even 1 year has passed since your dumb ass tried to do the same thing.

[leftwingnut]

3. “We will bring down the House,” the aide said.

Right. Okay. Whatever.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. Yeah, do that BEFORE a vote on the IraqNam funding.

that would be great.

[NYC Liberal]

17. I didn't think of that.

Okay, fine...if THEY want to be responsible for Iraq funding not getting passed, great! Let them do it!

I say we should encourage them.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. this tells us a couple of things

even if the GOP lawyers are wrong, they are a hell of a lot more ruthless than the Democrat group. They also don't give a damn about the rule of law, elections, or voting, unless it suits them.
It explains why the Dems were so bloody useless as a minority party, because they did not have the imagination to see beyond the immediate issue.

At least with Pelosi, things will change.

despite many in the Democratic party.

[truthisfreedom]

6. Well, I think it would be a pretty good idea for the Dems to clarify exactly what it is that they

are planning to change, instead of leaving the door open for rethug exaggeration, posturing and painting.

[AlCzervik]

7. The republicans do not want to vote on the defense Auth. Bill, thats why they're

doing this. No ask yourself why they don't want to go on record by voting.

[DBoon]

8. and our response should be....

"bite me"

[rocktivity]

9. And it will go over just as well as the LAST time the GOP pulled a stunt like this.

:eyes:
rocknation

[Bitwit1234]

10. So -- when ever the democrats did the least little thing

asking question, calling for debate or what ever the republicans shut them up and voted and ruled on what they wanted anyway..Why in the hell do they think they have the right to continue to stop the house from doing the business of the American people..

I think Pelosi should just over ride anything they say or do. SHUT THEM THE HELL UP FOR ONCE AND ALL. The blocked legislation and pulled this country into a slime pit just for bush butt kissing. I think that every day the democrats should call a press conference. Tell the country what the republicans are doing. Call them out by name and state. Ask the state if this is the kind of representation that they voted for when they voted for the butthole congressman or woman. Sock it to em GOOD.

[azurnoir]

11. Let'em do it

it will show how desparate they to hold on to old ways that apparently gave them an advantage.

[Donnachaidh]

12. Bring it you pack of whining crybabies!

Yeah -- show us how TOUGH you are! :popcorn:

[knight_of_the_star]

13. That's funny

They seem to forget that the Speaker has the power to refuse to allow an issue to reach the floor and same with the committee chairs. WE can shut them down and silence them if they try any shit like this without even breaking a sweat.

[nealmhughes]

14. Speed the plough!

Plow the tares out from the grain. Note to the Republics: (with apologies to Tim Rice) "Your king is dead, your porcine pastor's through, they ain't coming back to you."

[samsingh]

15. how things have changed

more crybaby repugs

didn't they want to remove all the minority rights only months ago?

[rodeodance]

16. “This is an astonishing attempt by the majority leadership to duck accountability for tax-and-spend

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.”

[rodeodance]

18. new update: House members call temporary truce on procedural battle

House members call temporary truce on procedural battle
By Jackie Kucinich
May 17, 2007

Democrats will not change House rules governing the minority’s ability to use parliamentary procedure to alter bills, according to House Republicans who fought the effort.

House Republicans met with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) yesterday afternoon, as they were successfully slowing House business by calling a series of procedural votes. They had threatened to keep on going until the Democratic leadership assured them that it would not change the rules governing the germaneness of an amendment to a bill.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) met with Hoyer, who assured them
that the Democrats will make no changes to the rules in the next two weeks, and would not do so without consulting the minority thereafter.

“They are not likely to go into that direction again,” Boehner said.

[Patchuli]

19. That's why we call him 'BONER'

He doesn't sound so tough these days, does he?

[hayu_lol]

20. Let 'em shut it down. Once Congress is out of business,

then no bills go anywhere--including war funding. When oh when will our people get some spines?

[Patchuli]

21. I wish all the folks who have Dem senators that voted no

would CALL THEM AND CALL THEM AGAIN until they get the message! We do not want to foot this bill anymore!!!!

[Odin2005]

22. Oh Yeah? JUST BRING IT!!!

Bite me you Puke crybabies.

[alittlelark]

23. LET the Crybabies shut it down... the American people

will NOT be amused.

[lpbk2713]

24. Is Newt "Slimeball" Gingrich back in town?

Writing a new 'contract for America' I presume. :eyes:

[EVDebs]

25. Hey, let 'em shut down the House; no Iraq spending bill = end of the occupation nt

[The Roux Comes First]

26. Classic Case of Bully Finally Confronted - Hysteria and Look for Mom

"Gutting house rules in place for 185 years"??

Go suck an egg.

This was absolutely nothing from what I can tell compared to the rumored "nuclear option" these whining castratos brought to the table one of the few times when the previously underdog-Dems actually got up and tried to fight last year.

It is so gratifying to have it out in public what losers almost all of the republicans on the hill actually are. On the other hand it is horrifying to realize that these are the folks the slightly-more-enlightened sorts with a "D" after their name have been subservient to for so long.

I don't recall where specifically I read it today, but this seems excellent reinforcement for the concept that muting the progressive message in the interest of playing to the "center" is a huge mistake. We have a two-humped dromedary in the voting populace now, and the Rahm-like kowtowing and triangulating for some mythical large bell-curve center is a total crock.

Figuratively I think what is called for is a good strong fist to the Adam's Apple of the crybabies.

[Polemicist]

27. OK, here's the deal from Daily Kos...

Republicans have been abusing the rules of Congress, by hijacking legislation at the last minute thru abusive use of "motions to recommitt for instructions". Here's how it works. Bills go through the detailed process of Committee debate and markup, and members have the ability to submit amendments during this process. In fact, Democrats even let Republicans submit amendments in committee, something those assholes didn't let us do for 12 years.

But instead of using the proper process to amend House bills, the Republican Minority is waiting until the final version of the bill hits the House floor for a final vote and then adding "motions to recommitt for instructions". This motion adds an amendment for an immediate vote of the entire house. If adopted, it immediately amends the bill and then that amended bill is voted upon by the entire House.

Seems the Republicans have been doing this repeatedly for the last several months, tying up the House when it's in full session and preventing legislation from passing. And in 11 cases, they were successful at passing "mtrfi" with poison pill amendments that would kill the bill if left on the original legislation. They were successful at stopping a voting Representative for the District of Columbia bill, by adding a provision overturning gun control laws in the District. And forcing that vote on an issue that many Democrats might have preferred not to vote on.

In a sense the minority is hijacking the House of Representatives, bypassing the regular amendment process in committee, and adding amendments which have nothing to do with the actual legislation under consideration, in order to kill it. Plus tying up the full House in any efforts that fail to kill bills they don't want passed.

No party in the majority could allow this abuse of the rules to continue forever. Does anybody remember the video last month of Barney Frank gaveling down a Republican when he kept trying to add amendments? That was a battle exactly like what we are talking about. But Barney doesn't take any shit and didn't let them keep offering amendments.

Here's the Daily Kos story, they explain it a lot better than me.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/16/174834/063

I'm guess that we threatened to change the rule if they don't stop abusing the rule. And we likely will accept their agreement to stop their shit and then we won't change the rule. But they are going to pull a temper tantrum first to get publicity and try to tell the world we just want to raise taxes, another dodge and misdirection. They are such liars.

[booksenkatz]

28. Don't the R's understand the importance of dry powder?? nt

[KansDem]

30. You bet they do!

At least this one does...

[KansDem]

29. "They are not in charge"

But the media still treats them like they're in charge. I don't know how many times I've heard or read accounts of Congress since the Dems took over where the media go to the Reubs for commentary and interviews. It's as if the Repubs are still in control!

I guess they not called the "whore media" for nothing!

[Nikki Stone1]

31. They're playing to the base. They don't want the fundies to think they're wimpy as a minority party

Like one party we know

[Lil Missy]

32. Oh, the outrage! Waaaaaaa!

Imagine the pukes having their own tactics used against them!

It's not fair! I tells ya!

Bullies are always the biggest fucking cry babies when they get a taste of their own medicine.:eyes:

Cry me a river ...