Here's How We Take Control Of Congress Tomorrow...I Think...

[stopbush]

I threw this idea out last year, but got few bites. Maybe someone can point out the fatal flaw to me. Here it is:

Tomorrow, every Democratic Senator and Representative on Capitol Hill announces they are switching their party allegiance to Republican. What happens? Well, every Dem currently sitting on a committee as the ranking member of that committee instantly becomes the head of that committee. That means they can block just about every piece of legislation before their Congressional committee.

In addition, they can effectively nominate Congressman and put them forward as alternatives to the present Congressional leadership. Could you imagine what would happen if Bill Frist and Hastert were challenged by a moderate Republican already sitting in their ranks who was nominated by the "new" Democratic R's in Congress? Could be fun.

OK, point out where I'm wrong here (I'm not a Constitutional scholar by any shred of the imagination).

[iamjoy]

1. Don't Know If It Would Work

But it sure sounds like a hoot.

[skylarmae]

2. I burst out laughing at this one. Wouldn't it be nice...

[GodHelpUsAll2]

3. I like your idea

[Progressive420]

4. as far as i know it could work but I dont know much about the laws that

set boundries for the congress

[Old and In the Way]

5. I like that!

It's war and I think our Democrat leadership needs to consider this if it's legal. Maybe we should all change to Republicans and wreck their party from within.

[KittyWampus]

8. Garrison Keillor Did A Funny Song "We're All Republicans Now"

:D

This adds a whole new meaning.

[RoyGBiv]

6. Chairmanships

Chairmanships are appointed by the party. Nothing would "instantly" happen based on one member's ranking with the opposition party, even if s/he defected to the controlling party. The party leadership would determine who served and/or chaired various committees, and these new Democratic-Republicans could find themselves locked out.

[ReadTomPaine]

7. While this idea may not be the specific one that works...

... this is the exact sort of unconventional thinking that will retake the ground we've lost.

Everyone cried foul when Tom Delay starting his redistricting games, claiming that such things 'simply were not done'. Nevertheless, they were done, and the idea spread rapidly.

We are going to need to play smart, hard and out of the box to start winning again and cutting off the fraud that steals wins from under our noses.

RTP

[PretzelWarrior]

16. EXACTLY. I like your thinking, folks. One thing you have to admit

is that the time the GOP has had power has been transformational. While they're sitting there with thumbs up their asses, GOP guys keep firing away with one trick after anothr.

If they don't regain the initiative on some things...it's gonna be a long 21st century.

[Senior citizen]

9. I don't see any flaws.

Many are pukes in everything but name already, and plenty of elected officials have changed parties.

I think it's a great idea--it would at least leave room for a real second party.

[robcon]

13. If you "don't see any flaws"

you're not reading it. There is no way the Republican caucus, which would be dominated by 'real' Republicans, would elect former Democrats as committee heads.

Huh?

[RoyGBiv]

14. Exactly ...

I appreciate this kind of thinking outside the box, but in this particular case the thinking leads nowhere good.

[stevedeshazer]

10. Money

Ain't gonna happen.

Political parties are not mentioned in the US Constitution.

And calling yourself a different name from one day to the next isn't going to work. Why would you be let into the party of privilege and largesse by suddenly changing your allegiance?

Who tells these Democrats to suddenly switch to Republican?

[Copperred]

12. is this viable

Someone who knows............should fully research this....

I agree this is the type of thinking that will take back the country......

Maybe we should collapse the Democratic party into the Republican....... welcome home freddie....

[Fridays Child]

11. Scathingly brilliant. Why don't you email John Dean or Laurence Tribe...

...about this?

[pearl]

15. I suggest an aggressive

recruiment effort to bring in moderate republicans.
They can't be too happy with their party.

[Old and In the Way]

18. I've written letters to Sue Collins and Olympia Snowe in the Maine

delegation. They are moderate Republicans who I think are closer to John Kerry's values than George Bush's and the radical Right Republicans. If they don't join us, they'll be hounded/marginalized in their Party and they will have real Republican competition in their next primary. If they are smart they'll do a Margaret Chase Smith and do their own version of a 'Declaration of Conscience' by moving across the aisle. They really don't have a viable political future, otherwise.

[Ducks In A Row]

17. Well they won't know those votes to throw away

there is that in it's favor


I like the idea of fucking them over from the inside.