House Plantation: The Day That House Repubs Police on the Dems

[journalist3072]

As I've already noted yesterday, Sen. Hillary Clinton was absolutely right when she talked about House Republicans running a plantation.

One of the ways they've done this is by not allowing the Democrats to participate in debate on important legislation.

This all came to a broil in July 2003, when the House Means and Ways Committee (41 members strong) had gathered to consider a pension and retirement savings overhaul bill.

The Committee's Republican Chairman then proceeded to introduce into the debate, a 90-page substitute measure. Because the measure had only been released shortly before midnight on the night before, Democrats said they needed more time to read it. (Imagine that! You can almost hear the Rethuglicans saying 'How dare those obstructionist Democrats want to actually read a bill so that they know what they are debating and voting on.')

Thomas would not allow the Democrats more time to read the substitute measure, and in response the Democrats objected to a routine procedure to dispense with verbal reading of the legislation by a House clerk. Thus, a clerk was called to read the legislation line by line. As the clerk continued to read, the Democrats retreated to a library off to the side of the main hearing room, so that Republicans would not be able to have unanimous consent to suspense with the reading.

Committee Chairman Bill Thomas then proceeded to call Capitol Hill police to the library, in order to have them evict and/or arrest the Democrats. Two police officers arrived, realized the foolishness of the situation, and wanted no part in arresting House Democrats, so they called a watch commander. The situation was eventually settled by a House Sergeant and Arms official, who said that this was a Committee issue, and not one for security officers to resolve.

As Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) noted, the situation came to a boiling point because House Republicans "unilaterally pass bills" while stiffling input from Democrats.

http://www.apfn.net/messageboard/7-19-03/discussion.cgi.17.html

One of the other things I mentioned yesterday, as evidence to support Sen. Clinton's claim that House Republicans run the House like a plantation, is how, when the GOP realizes they are short on votes, they will hold the vote open for an extended period of time, so they can go arm twist fellow members into voting their way.

Last October, for example, the House was supposed to hold a FIVE MINUTE vote (5 minutes, folks) on the Gasoline for America's Security Act. Instead, because the Republicans were initially unable to obtain a majority of votes in their favor, Rep. Mike Simpson held the vote open for over 40 minutes!! Once the Republicans were able to gain the number of votes they needed to pass the Act, he closed the vote.

http://www.dccc.org/stakeholder/archives/003678.html

In November, the Republicans took what was supposed to be a 15-minute vote on the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending bill for FY06, and held it open for more than half an hour in order to do some arms twisting. This time, though, despite the strong arm tacts, the measure still was defeated.

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/11/17/revolt/

[pinto]

1. kick.

[journalist3072]

2. Thank you!! eom

[mtnsnake]

3. Excellent and powerful stuff!

Not only do the Repugs lie, but they cheat like hell!

Good job, journalistic. Recommended!

[journalist3072]

7. You're absolutely right, and thank you!! eom

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Another thing that supports Hillary Clinton's claim that House Republicans

run the House like a plantation, is how they make them hold their "unofficial" hearings in a teeny tiny room in the basememnt. They also turn their microphones off in the middle of hearings so whatever the Democrats and their witnesses have to say, will never be heard.

[journalist3072]

8. Yep, like they did John Conyer's Media Bias forum

They would not even let him have it in one of the regular hearing rooms. They sent him to the basement. And they would not let him call it a "hearing." They made him call it a "forum" becaue he could not subpoena witnesses, and not one Republican sat in on the forum.

[seabeyond]

5. once again the democratic party working for us the people

not that we heard, not that we could appreciate, but with balls and smarts, working for us and doing what is right. i wonder if this was during a time on this board we were accusing our dems of having no spine? i also wonder how many other times they have had spine, we just dont have a clue.

[Sydnie]

6. It's no better on the Senate side either

Sensenbrenner gaveling closed a meeting while the Dems are calling for a point of order. Remember that?

Let's not forget the Energy Bill on the house side either. They were holding the vote open and Pelosi was calling for a Parlimentary Inquiry about the length of time that they could keep it open. They denied the question, held the vote open until Hastert and Delay could twist arms to change two vote. The Dems left the chambers but not before they yelled "Shame" for several minutes.

Lots of evidence.