Dems vow rules overhaul to empower members if House flips

[babylonsister]

Dems vow rules overhaul to empower members if House flips
By Mike Lillis - 09/01/18 06:01 AM EDT


Should they take back the House in November, Democrats are vowing not only a shift in legislative priorities and much stronger White House oversight, but also rules changes on how the chamber is run.

House GOP leaders this year hit a dubious milestone when they broke the single-cycle record for reporting closed rules — the procedural step barring lawmakers from amending bills when they hit the floor.

In the eyes of Democrats, and a growing number of Republicans, the distinction highlights a disturbing creep towards top-down legislating that’s stifled debate, paralyzed rank-and-file members and thwarted the “more inclusive” process Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) promised when he took the gavel three years ago.

Vowing to reverse the trend, Democrats are weighing a host of changes to House guidelines if they capture the chamber in the midterm elections. Although draped in the esoteric procedures of the House Rules Committee, the Democrats say their goal is simple: To break the partisan gridlock and usher in a new era of lawmaker empowerment.

more...

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/403531-dems-vow-rules-overhaul-empower-members-if-house-flips

[beachbum bob]

1. I don't want to see any empowerment for republicans, period

the partisan gridlock is a result of THEIR ideology and only smashing their ideology can we see improvement

[texasfiddler]

2. How does this help?

If the party in power can keep changing the rules, I don't see how this helps the Democrats...or Democracy. The only way to make Republicans think about change, is for Republicans to hurt under their own rules and policies.

[essaynnc]

3. Look at North Carolina.

In the two or three months between the election and the swearing-in, Congress has lots of opportunity to change all the rules to give the new Congress less power. It's happening in North Carolina right now, the Republican legislature is taking power away from the democratic governor. How can we deal with that? What rules changes are they planning?

[Hortensis]

4. Top-down authoritarian control is traditional Republican

conservative style of leadership within their party. Even before it was taken over by hard-core, then extremist, social and economic conservatives.

Imposing a control on congress specifically meant to depower representatives from around the nation is anti-democratic and very contrary to our nation's founding and history. Our republic is a liberal democracy, not a right-wing authoritarian state.

So of course we have a duty to reestablish more democratic rules, in addition to addressing the many other problems created by ruthlessly authoritarian leaders.

IF we get control of the house.

[dalton99a]

5. Just don't give matches to arsonists