We Are Under Martial Law! As Declared By The Speaker Last Night! Rep Burgess

[seemslikeadream]

??????


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7B4laX1E70

[KewlKat]

1. why House Leadership would invoke martial Law

Article from 2006 explaining why House Leadership would invoke martial Law
<http://www.cbpp.org/7-28-06bud-stmt.htm >

House Leadership Invokes “martial Law,” Forcing Members To Vote On Key Bills Without Full Knowledge Of What They Are Voting On:

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Good find. So, it's not the same "martial law" Chickenshit Burgess was bitching about. n/t

[NeedleCast]

2. Pretty sure he's saying that the house has been under martial law

as in they haven't been able to go anywhere or do anything other than work on the bail-out bill.

[seemslikeadream]

7. Well he should have said it that way

How can he get away with such a statement?

[BlooInBloo]

3. So I gather the majority of DUers don't know what that means.

[seemslikeadream]

4. Why would he say such a thing on the House floor "for the record"

[BlooInBloo]

9. (facepalm)

[seemslikeadream]

14. OK OK I did not have any clue that Martial Law could be declared in the House

seems a bit extreme to me

[maddezmom]

10. it forces members to vote

maybe this will help explain it
HOUSE LEADERSHIP INVOKES “MARTIAL LAW,” FORCING MEMBERS TO VOTE ON KEY BILLS WITHOUT FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY ARE VOTING ON: MOVE REPRESENTS EROSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
Statement by Robert Greenstein
Executive Director, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The House Republican Leadership has announced its intention to have the House vote, before adjourning on Friday or Saturday, on several major pieces of legislation that are not yet available to House members in final form because behind-closed-door negotiations on the proposals are still going on. The Leadership apparently intends to use a process known as “martial law” to allow these bills to be brought to the floor very shortly after negotiations are completed, with the result that Members of the House are likely to have virtually no time to examine and consider the details of the legislation before they will be required to vote on it.

Among the matters the House may be asked to vote on under martial law are a major conference report on pension legislation, a costly bill that would permanently reduce the estate tax and extend certain expiring tax provisions, and a bill that could combine a controversial health insurance proposal with an increase in the minimum wage (there also are reports that the estate tax, minimum wage, and expiring tax provisions may be combined into a single bill). The House Rules Committee on Thursday afternoon reported a resolution that would provide martial law authority in relation to all of these bills.

http://www.cbpp.org/7-28-06bud-stmt.htm

[DJ13]

6. Metaphorically for Congress, not for the country

He meant it as "The Speaker (Pelosi) has declared us (the House) under Martial Law" because he's a whiney little Republican who is used to getting everything his way.

[gateley]

8. I'd like to hear the thoughts of others on this.

Anybody know what Pelosi actually did say? Was she using Martial Law as a metaphor?

[seemslikeadream]

11. I really don't think it is a good idea to use the words "Martial Law" as a metaphor

on the House floor, for the record.

[gateley]

15. I would agree, which is why I asked if anyone had clarification as to what she said. nt

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Means the bill is being forced to vote before everyone gets a chance to read it,

kind of like what Shrubbie did with the Patriot Act.

Does NOT mean martial law in the sense that the military has taken over.

http://rules-republicans.house.gov/ShortTopics/Read.aspx?id=220

[tpsbmam]

13. Relax.....WE are not under martial law ....

(yet). Congress is under the "Congressional equivalent of martial law."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-roberts/nancy-pelosi-is-kicking-a_b_75467.html

Pelosi has also imposed the Congressional equivalent of martial law, invoking emergency rules procedures that will allow the bill to go to Rules Committee, get a rule, and bring the bill to the floor all on the same day. That means that tonight will be a battle royal.