Ezra Klein on Countdown against Deem and Pass...

[eleny]

Ezra flies under the bus 3...2...1...

[mzmolly]

1. Why?

:shrug:

[eleny]

3. Why he doesn't agree with it? If that's what you're asking.....

He said that Dems are trying to vote for the bill while still saying they didn't vote for it. He called it bad politics. Their opponents in the next election will surely say they did indeed vote for it. Then, the Dem will try to explain it all and it'll be a mess.

He thought it was bad when the Republicans used it, too, btw.

That's the jist.

[mzmolly]

4. I generally agree with Klein

but I tend not to let Republicans dictate how we do things.

Thanks for sharing.

[Cleita]

5. Randi didn't like it either, but considering that the Republicans are

playing hardball with obstruction and saying no on everything, I think we should use what tools we have to gain some victories. I think it will make them regret that they ever did that kind of politics too. See we can do it too.

[daleanime]

2. Where can I get a copy of this 'bus' schedule?

Want to see it with my own eyes:eyes:

[jaxx]

6. From the Roll Call piece, written June 19, 2006:

Former House GOP Rules Committee Chief Of Staff Don Wolfensberger: Republicans "Set New Records" For Using Self-Executing Rule.

Self-executing rules began innocently enough in the 1970s as a way of making technical corrections to bills. But, as the House became more partisan in the 1980s, the majority leadership was empowered by its caucus to take all necessary steps to pass the party's bills. This included a Rules Committee that was used more creatively to devise procedures to all but guarantee policy success.

The self-executing rule was one such device to make substantive changes in legislation while ensuring majority passage. ... When Republicans took power in 1995, they soon lost their aversion to self-executing rules and proceeded to set new records under Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.).

There were 38 and 52 self-executing rules in the 104th and 105th Congresses (1995-1998), making up 25 percent and 35 percent of all rules, respectively.

Under Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) there were 40, 42 and 30 self-executing rules in the 106th, 107th and 108th Congresses (22 percent, 37 percent and 22 percent, respectively). Thus far in the 109th Congress, self-executing rules make up about 16 percent of all rules."

http://wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1412&fuseaction=topics.publications&doc_id=190504&group_id=180829

[eleny]

7. See my Reply #3- Klein said he thinks the Republicans were wrong to use it, too

[jaxx]

8. I like Ezra, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

This is one of those times.

[Jennicut]

9. He does not like the use of obscure rules by both parties. He is kind of right and I want this bill

to pass in the House. But they just need to bite the bullet and do it. It is not unconstitutional to use deem and pass, it is just arcane stuff but it can be made a bad habit by both sides. Besides, the Senate seems to have their votes. Even by doing it this way, using the deem and pass, the votes will be very close in the House.