Brian Beutler: GOP moderates should stop whining, and reopen the government

[highplainsdem]

http://www.salon.com/2013/10/02/gop_moderates_should_stop_whining_and_reopen_the_government/

Moderate Republicans could have defected Monday night and blocked all of Boehner’s extortionary spending bills, which would have left the Speaker little choice but to pass the Senate’s rider-free spending bill. Instead they fell into line.

Later today they could — repeat, could — have an opportunity to bring this all to an end again.

House Republicans will put narrow legislation on the floor of the House to fund popular, politically high-valence parts of the government later this afternoon.

When they do, Democrats will be able to offer what are known as motions to recommit. These are among the very few power levers the House minority enjoys. But over time they have become formalities. It’s different for members to vote against party leaders on matters of substance than it is to directly undermine their legislative strategies by siding with the other party on procedural matters. So votes on these motions have become extremely rote. The majority typically kills them unanimously (or near-unanimously) and the minority then tries, usually in vain, to turn those votes into political liabilities — press releases, 30-second ads, etc.

But the opening exists. If Dems offer a motion to recommit these rifle-shot bills with instructions to swap them out with the Senate’s bill to reopen the government, a majority (currently 217 votes) carries. If the chair declares the motion out of order, 217 votes overturns the chairs ruling.

That would put an end to the shutdown.

-snip-

Beutler doesn't think GOP moderates WILL do this.

But he wants people to be aware that they COULD do it.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

1. From what I understand, they want to.

Boehner won't let it come to a vote. He's blocking the vote deliberately.

[Dawson Leery]

2. What about a discharge petition?

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

4. I'm not sure.

I'm not too familiar on the House procedures, and I only based this information off of EarlG's post (and the link) in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017149114

[highplainsdem]

5. Boehner won't allow the clean CR vote, but that isn't what Beutler is talking about.

He's talking about moderate Republicans backing a procedural move the Democrats can make, as the minority - one House Dems can't win on their own, but could win with the support of GOP moderates:

If Dems offer a motion to recommit these rifle-shot bills with instructions to swap them out with the Senate’s bill to reopen the government, a majority (currently 217 votes) carries. If the chair declares the motion out of order, 217 votes overturns the chair’s ruling.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

6. Ahh. Okay. Now I get it.

Thanks.

[highplainsdem]

7. You're welcome! More on motions to recommit here, on Nancy Pelosi's site:

http://www.democraticleader.gov/news/reports/motions-recommit-112th-congress

[AlinPA]

3. Right. All 17 of them. There are not enouigh "moderates" in the GOP House to change Boehner's mind

[highplainsdem]

8. Chris Van Hollen just tried the motion to recommit, but the GOP tabled it, straight party-line vote.

See the tweets here:

https://twitter.com/jamiedupree

Beutler was right. Despite all their whining, the GOP moderates won't risk backing up their complaints with votes.