The tactic of escaping to another state to avoid a vote you’re likely to lose has got to be one of the dumbest PR moves in the history of American politics. What better image could there be of the Democrats’ unwillingness to face the facts of our fiscal situation these days than their literally running away from these votes? The next time Democrats in Washington complain about a Republican use of the filibuster—a legislative tactic that, for all its problems, is actually part of the rules of the Senate—we should be sure to check if they had anything to say about this act of obstruction through coordinated cowardly dereliction.
Liberals' comparison of this tactic to the filibuster shows a shocking level of intellectual bad faith. The filibuster is, of course, a perfectly legal and clearly delineated parliamentary procedure with a perfectly legitimate purpose. If the Democrats think that a minority of 14 should be able to effectively bring all legislative business to a standstill they should vote for such a rule, and see how many of their own members will support the measure.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseEvery state needs to enact a new law immediately - by ballot referendum if necessary - that states, in short:
Elected legislators must be present for roll calls. If a legislator is not present, state police be will be issued warrants and will be tasked to retrieve the legislators, by force if necessary. Every state police force will have a reciprocal agreement with every other state police force to cooperate should legislators cross state lines. If a legislator remains absent for all roll calls over a 72 hour period, the legislator is deemed to have resigned from the post, and the state shall immediately begin the replacement procedure. Legislators can have an excused absence with the advanced consent of the legislative body leader (speaker, etc.) and there is a provision for emergency medical care to stay the replacement process. When legislators are excused or emergency conditions are met, the necessary quorum to act is reduced accordingly.
Thoughts?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis idea could of course be tweaked to ensure legislators are protected against foul play.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt some point, can the governor vacate the legislative no-shows' positions and appoint replacements?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey wanna run so bad, let's make a movie a reality...
Bring on the spandex, Richard Dawson, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, the rocket sled/chair things, the electric opera dude...the works!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe rationale behind Obama's push for high speed rail projects is now clear.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRarely can I quote Chris Matthews positively, but I remember him saying a long time ago about a potential walkout of the Dem's convention by Jesse Jackson that the tactic was a "one-bullet gun." Once you fire it, you can't influence the process until you walk back. The state reps who walkout will have to walk back, more than likely on the losing end of the issue.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDon't states have extradition treaties/agreement with other states?
Putting aside any legal solutions to this problem, I'm just finding it as fascinating as can be that--as Yuval points alludes to--these people operate in such an ideological, partisan bubble they don't even realize how stupidly self-defeating this whole fiasco is. Are we not witnessing mass political suicide?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI can imagine how the press would react if Republican legislators had done this to prevent a vote the Democrats favored.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseA little Bon Jovi is appropriate here. Oooooohhhhh she's a little runaway! Republicans need to sell out to make this stick!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCommoner, you have hit the nail on the head. Yuval is quite correct that this tactic is borderline suicidal. But the reason they think they can get away with it is because they still have not grasped the fact that the MSM is no longer able to carry their water like they used to. It's funny to me that everyone observes the role of Facebook and Twitter in Egypt, but few note the similar change in domestic American politics. The days when Walter Cronkite could singlehandedly render the Tet offensive a failure, or Dan Rather could sell his fake National Guard memos, are now literally decades behind us. And yet, much like the drums and chants of the out-sick protestors in Madison, the strategy of the left is glaringly anachronistic. This is also why they use pro-union arguments that carried the day almost a century ago, even though they obviously don't apply to public sector unions that are weild political influence that enables them to choose their own boss, or nearly so. Even Obama's Win the Future program is based on the cutting-edge technology of (wait for it) CHOO CHOO TRAINS and WINDMILLS.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe time for arguing with liberals is over. The only rational response to their current behavior is straight-up ridicule, in copious amounts.
Reheiler, I agree. As always, the Republicans are the adults in this situation, and the Democrats are acting like spoiled teenagers. I hope most reasonable people see that.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePR issue, fine, but it doesnt seem dumber to me than giving up on the idea that the legislative branch can defund programs or kill departments or check executive power by refusing to fund a budget. The dems are willing to use the tools available, but we're too pure for it? Nonsense, the GOP as a caucus doesn't want to cut spending at the federal level. They just want to be able to direct that spending.
Pox on all of them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo long as the Wisconsin Senate Republicans refuse to punish the awol Democrat senators, many people probably don't even realize that what the Dems are doing is illegal, prohibited by the Wisconsin Constitution. The Republican senators are letting awol Democrat senators vote remotely by fax, how absurd is that? The Republican senators and gov should be blasting the awol Dems as violators of the Wisconsin constitution every time they are on camera.
From the Wisconsin Constitution:
"Organization of legislature; quorum; compulsory
attendance. SECTION 7.
Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; and a
majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide.
Rules; contempts; expulsion. SECTION 8.
Each house may determine the rules of its own proceedings, punish for contempt and disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of two−thirds of all the members elected, expel a member; but no member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause."
end Wisconsin Constitution
So the Republican senators have the right to punish the Democrat senators for not showing up but have refused to do so. In the meantime, Dem mainstream media are saying that the Dems are doing something like a filibuster (rather than pointing out that it is prohibited by the Wisconsin constitution).
The Dems are guessing that the Republican senators will fold under pressure. One Republican senator has already folded somewhat. It isn't clear that this is a public relations disaster for the Dems so long as the vast bulk of the media echo the Dem party line. The Republicans have to penalize the Democrats so it is clear to everyone that the Dems have violated the Wisconsin constitution. The Republicans also need to pass legislation as fast as they can while the Dems are gone. The current approach of passing virtually nothing makes it look like the Dems are winning the confrontation.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLiberal complaints regarding the filibuster have generally centered around Republicans using to block all legislation they oppose. Democractic proposals to reform the filibuster have always allowed for its use in times of extreme disagreemnt. This would be an example of that.
And to quote the Wisconsin as a commenter did above: Organization of legislature; quorum; compulsory
attendance. SECTION 7.
Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; and a
majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide.
It is clearly not a crime a to not be present for roll calls. The Constitution provides the legislature to "compel attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide". IE, the legislature may compel attendance according to its rules, but these rules are not statutes and obviously not criminally punishable.
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