3.28.2005
Undeliberative Democracy (WashingtonPost.com)
EDITORIAL
Sunday, March 27, 2005; Page B06
IF THE HALLMARK of the Senate is the ability of the minority to have its say or even to block action, the nature of the House of Representatives is the reverse: The majority can reduce the minority party to pesky irrelevance, choking off its opportunity to offer amendments or engage in debate. That was the legitimate gripe of House Republicans during their long years out of power. As Republicans on the House Rules Committee put it in a 1993 report, "While the majority party always has the right to establish the rules and legislative agenda for the House, it should recognize the need to place responsible limits on those powers which permit all members to fully participate in the truly deliberative process. . . . "
When they took back the House in 1994, Republicans vowed to act differently. Indeed, they have -- they have been even worse. Their behavior is that of a majority more interested in jamming through legislation than in providing for considered, open debate. The chief, most disturbing technique for doing this is to conduct floor debate under a "closed rule" -- permitting only an up-or-down vote on the measure, with no amendments allowed -- or a rule so restrictive that the only alternative vote would be on a single Democratic substitute. According to a new analysis by Rules Committee Democrats, the number of closed rules doubled -- to 36 -- between the 103rd Congress, the last with Democrats in control, and the most recent Congress.
(More ... Undeliberative Democracy (washingtonpost.com)) ¶ 11:05
Sunday, March 27, 2005; Page B06
IF THE HALLMARK of the Senate is the ability of the minority to have its say or even to block action, the nature of the House of Representatives is the reverse: The majority can reduce the minority party to pesky irrelevance, choking off its opportunity to offer amendments or engage in debate. That was the legitimate gripe of House Republicans during their long years out of power. As Republicans on the House Rules Committee put it in a 1993 report, "While the majority party always has the right to establish the rules and legislative agenda for the House, it should recognize the need to place responsible limits on those powers which permit all members to fully participate in the truly deliberative process. . . . "
When they took back the House in 1994, Republicans vowed to act differently. Indeed, they have -- they have been even worse. Their behavior is that of a majority more interested in jamming through legislation than in providing for considered, open debate. The chief, most disturbing technique for doing this is to conduct floor debate under a "closed rule" -- permitting only an up-or-down vote on the measure, with no amendments allowed -- or a rule so restrictive that the only alternative vote would be on a single Democratic substitute. According to a new analysis by Rules Committee Democrats, the number of closed rules doubled -- to 36 -- between the 103rd Congress, the last with Democrats in control, and the most recent Congress.
(More ... Undeliberative Democracy (washingtonpost.com)) ¶ 11:05
