I'd like to have a new forum- Senate Procedure, Senate Rules. Rules of Congress.

[Gregorian]

It seems that there are some basics that many of us don't know about. Reconciliation. General procedure and rules regarding passage of bills. Both Senate and House. Rules, and or other standard ways of operation that occur in the Congress.

I see a number of members here who have knowledge, and I've learned through their posts. But after reading Krugman's article on how we might just pass the health care bill without Lieberman and then use reconciliation later, or risk him gutting the bill, I realize I honestly do not know how the basics of passage happen. It's not common knowledge. But maybe with a new forum we could collect what those of us here know, and thereby give a reference to those seeking to learn.

I'm not even sure what it would be titled. Would it be primarily the Senate, or include both houses?

I just thought I'd float the idea to see if it has any merit.

[MineralMan]

1. Actually, the information is readily available on the web.

Wikipedia has good articles on both the House and Senate. If you need additional information on how it all works (or doesn't) Google will find it for you very quickly. There's really nothing to discuss on DU, since Congress sets its own rules. But, the information is easy to find.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. +1

[Gregorian]

3. It's not that simple.

There are things I don't know, and wouldn't know to look up. It could be a condensation of things we should all know.

I have looked up reconciliation. But they don't address all of the peripherals that surround the issue. They only define it.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Here's a reference URL. You can find out anything from this.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_index_subjects/Rules_and_Procedure_vrd.htm

[MineralMan]

5. Yup. If you really need all the info, it's there.

[Gregorian]

7. Hey, thanks! That's a big help.

I haven't had a chance to look at it. I'm assuming it's a big help. But it looks very much like the set of rules I want to know.

I do want to add that one of the reasons I didn't think looking at links like this would be helpful is that if one reads the Constitution, they still don't really know the Constitution. But hopefully the rules are the rules.


OK, what I originally said still stands. These are sterile definitions. Like the laws of thermodynamics, they are meaningless without some personal discussion.

[MineralMan]

6. Actually, it is that simple.

What is not simple is an open discussion as a means of getting information. There are many very active posters who do not know much about how things work in Congress. They will, however, post in threads about it, and will deposit thick layers of misinformation in such threads.

If you want to know stuff, the information is readily available. We don't need a new forum on the subject. It would only serve to promulgate the typical misinformation that proliferates whenever these subjects come up.

[Gregorian]

8. I was going to agree, but I don't agree. Here's why.

I can read the laws of thermodynamics and have little idea what they mean, or how they work.
I can read the Constitution and not know what it means. I like hearing the different takes on the 2nd Amendment, not just the words, but the history and meaning and intention.

I would like discussion. Not just definitions.

[MineralMan]

10. And my statement still stands. A forum on this issue

would simply bring in tons of uninformed DUers who would post incorrect information. It would be far more confusing that helpful.

We had a case in the House today, where a house member thought that Lieberman could be recalled and removed from office. That's the level of misinformation at the highest levels. Can you imagine what you'd hear on a forum here on Congressional rules. Most DUers don't even understand the Constitution, much less Congressional rules.

Educate yourself and you'll have the right information. No, it's not easy to learn this stuff, but you can learn it from the original source. It just takes effort.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. While I'm not asking for a forum, here's a question I can't find an answer to yet:

Can the Democratic senators get rid of Reid as the Majority Leader if they want to? Or do they have to just put informal pressure on him to resign?

I can't find anything about a 'vote of no confidence'. Lott resigned, but there was about to be a new congress anyway. Can a majority (or minority) leader be forced out by unhappy senators in the middle of a congress?

[Gregorian]

14. Post a new thread on it.

That is a serious question. And one that has at least as much merit as many of the new posts we see here. Although that octopus with the coconut shells was pretty inspiring. Haha.

[Gregorian]

9. C-span has a good glossary

http://www.c-span.org/guide/congress/glossary/glossary.htm

It's very much what I was looking for.

For example-

Reconciliation bill-A RECONCILIATION BILL makes the changes in law required to meet pre-set spending and revenue levels.

The bill arises when a prior budget resolution passed by the House and Senate calls for it.

The budget committee packages the bills produced by all the other committees into one omnibus bill.

[Bucky]

11. It can replace the old "Joe Lieberman Supporters" forum

Too soon?

[Gregorian]

13. That's got to be a pretty lonely place these days.

So dark and cold.

Haha.