Hm.
Hm. House Dems still at it, House apparently officially in recess until July 5. While this is getting some news coverage, I'm not sure how long they will be able to sustain public interest. 2 weeks is way past when most people and media outlets get bored. I'm guessing that's what Ryan is counting on - ignore 'em and wait 'em out.
P.S. Every time certain someones point out the Dems are breaking rules, like rule-following was some sort of inherent good, I hear a whiny voice saying, "But Moooooom, they're breaking the Ruuuuuules!"
ReplyDeleteBreaking rules like "you're actually supposed to vote on things? Oh wait, that was the other guys...
ReplyDeleteWell, strictly speaking, that is a different issue. They are voting on things. Just not on the things the other side wants to vote on. Also, I'm not sure there is a rule that requires them to consider or vote on things. I think that's mostly up to the Speaker. However, the Rules for the House (and Senate) are Byzantine.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely against the rules to take photos or video, etc., which the Dems are definitely breaking. I have heard there is also a rule against bringing devices (i.e., smart phones) onto the floor, but am not sure about this. There are rules governing if, when, and who can be in or walk through the Well (that space they are sitting in between the podium and the desks/seats at the front of the chamber), and they have probably broken some rules, there. They've almost certainly broken some rules of debate. And I'm not sure it's breaking a rule, but it's certainly breaking custom to keep behaving as if the House is in session when it isn't. There's probably also some rules about having to leave the chamber if the House isn't in session.
So, I mean, rules are being broken, but that's the whole point of peaceful protest/civil disobedience. Force attention on an issue without becoming violent. Doesn't mean it isn't disruptive. Republicans clearly think it's fine to leave early and take a longer vacation, so I'm not sure they really care.
Blocking things that would probably win a straight yay or nay vote by not bringing them to the table for a vote may not be against something in the explicit rules, but it certainly feels like it should be.
ReplyDeleteWell, part of what's silly about this is that there would obviously be a straight party vote, which the Republicans would win, so nothing the Dems are proposing would pass. It would take hardly any time, get almost no attention, and everyone would move on.
ReplyDeleteNow, it's getting some attention and it will be challenging to find a face-saving way to address it. So it's all polarized and partisan and rare moments of actual emotional confrontation (that really is unusual, here, but no punches were thrown, so).