McConnell Rejects House Plea for Majority Rule on Iran Deal [semi-satire]

Semi-News/Semi-Satire ^ | 19 Sep 2015 | John Semmens

[John Semmens]

A plea from 57 House Republican to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken) to allow the Senate majority to vote on the Iran treaty fell on deaf ears. At issue is McConnell's refusal to bypass the filibuster of the Senate minority that is blocking a vote on the measure.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), spokesman for the 57 GOP House members emphasized that "voting on a matter as consequential as the Iran deal should take precedence over the preservation of a mere Senate rule."

Although the Senate rule authorizing filibusters has no Constitutional or statutory basis, McConnell firmly rejected Smith's arguments. "The United States Senate is the world's greatest deliberative body," McConnell claimed. "It didn't get that way by simply yielding to majority sentiment. Preserving this historic role is more important than what happens on this one issue."

It's not as if this "historic role" hasn't undergone occasional modifications. The threshold for shutting down a filibuster used to be two-thirds. Segregationists used the two-thirds rule to block numerous civil rights laws over many decades. In 1975, the ratio of votes required to end a filibuster was reduced to three-fifths. During former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's tenure the ratio was reduced to a simple majority on one occasion.

McConnell was also unfazed by polls showing more than a two-thirds majority of Americans opposed to the Iran deal, saying that "the views held by voters cannot be expected to carry as much weight as the views of members of the Senate. Just doing what the majority wants is tantamount to mob rule. I will not acquiesce to such a desecration of the principles upon which our government operates."

Smith was unimpressed by McConnell's arguments and pointed out that "under our Constitution treaties are supposed to be affirmatively endorsed by two-thirds of the Senate. The Iran deal inverts that requirement. Shouldn't Senator McConnell and all members of Congress, for that matter, put this Constitutional requirement ahead of the made-up procedures of the Senate no matter how hoary they may be?"

In related news, the Obama Administration declined to disclose the estimated number of Americans killed by Iran and its terror proxies since, according to Secretary of State John Kerry, "the only purpose this would serve is to potentially derail implementation of the deal we worked so hard to obtain. Rather than stir up points of disagreement, it's better to let bygones be bygones."

if you missed any of this week's other semi-news/semi-satire posts you can find them at...

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,180701.0.html

[Lurker]

Sometimes satire is very sad.

[immadashell]

I don't like "semi-satire" pieces because I never really know what part is "semi" and what part is "satire".

For example: Just doing what the majority wants is tantamount to mob rule. I will not acquiesce to such a desecration of the principles upon which our government operates."

Hopefully, that is the "satire" part. If two thirds of the voting public don't like this "non-treaty" treaty, then the Senate does not represent the people and needs to be replaced, regardless of any vote. (that is not satire).