DUSTIN GAWRYLOW: WHEN THE GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER VOTES AREN’T THERE – JUST CHANGE THE RULES!
When The Votes Aren't There,
Just Change The Rules To Say No Vote Is Needed
North Dakota Taxpayers' Association
If nothing else, the recent surge to push government-run healthcare is teaching average citizens just how much rules don't mean anything when it comes to passing legislation.
Late yesterday (March 10th), a new option emerged for Democrats to push government-run healthcare:
JUST CHANGE THE RULES!
That's right, there are some House Democrats that want to change the actual procedural rules.
House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter is prepping to help usher the healthcare overhaul through the House and potentially avoid a direct vote on the Senate overhaul bill, the chairwoman said Tuesday.Slaughter is weighing preparing a rule that would consider the Senate bill passed once the House approves a corrections bill that would make changes to the Senate version.Slaughter has not taken the plan to Speaker Pelosi as Democrats await CBO scores on the corrections bill. "Once the CBO gives us the score we'll spring right on it," she said.
Normally this sort of threat may come from a naive, idealistic freshman congressperson that doesn't know how things work.
In this case, it is the Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee - literally the person in charge of starting the process of the changing the rules.
Party leaders have discussed the possibility of using the House Rules Committee to avoid an actual vote on the Senate's bill, according to leadership aides. They would do this by writing what's called a "self-executing rule," meaning the Senate bill would be attached to a package of fixes being negociated between the two chambers -- without an actual vote on the Senate's legislation.
Under this scenario, the Senate bill would be automatically attached to the reconciliation package, if the House passes reconciliation. In other words, Bill A would just become part of Bill B if the House passes Bill B, and the Senate could then vote on a reconciliation package before sending it to the president. This allows House members to approve the broader measure without actually voting on it.
They simply don't have the votes to pass the Senate version in the House, without the votes they can't start the Budget Reconciliation Process that would side-step the normal processes.
Now, not only do you as a citizen have to contact Congressman Pomeroy about Voting No on government-run healthcare (if you have not already done so click here), you also have to tell him to oppose changing the rules governing the operation of the House itself.
Does someone, anyone, anywhere, think this will not backfire in November?
Call Congressman Pomeroy and tell him to use his seniority on Ways and Means to block any efforts by his party to change the actual rules of the House.
His office number is (202)-225-2611.
Dustin Gawrylow, Executive Director
Office Phone: (701) 751-2530
DakotaBeacon