Posted on 10/01/2010 1:13:34 PM PDT by jazusamo
Complete title: Boehner: The U.S. House is in a 'State of Emergency' and is No Longer Able to Act on Will of the People
Washington (CNSNews.com) – House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday that the House of Representatives is in “a state of emergency” due to rules that discourage debate and foster corruption.
In a policy speech at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., Boehner observed that the House is no longer able to follow the will of the American people.
“The House finds itself in a state of emergency,” Boehner said. “The institution does not function, does not deliberate, and seems incapable of acting on the will of the American people.”
The ten-term Ohio congressman, whom poll-watchers say could be poised to take over as Speaker of the House next session, laid out an agenda for reforming the House after what he called the “collapse” of the institution in the past weeks and months.
“Just look at how the 111th Congress is not so much concluding as much as it has collapsed,” he said. “Instead of tallying up a final flurry of legislative output, observers and constituents are asking, ‘What went wrong?’”
Boehner said a chief failing of this Congress, which narrowly voted to adjourn on Wednesday, was the fact that congressmen were heading home to campaign without providing any certainty about the Bush tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
“This week we had, in my view, an obligation to bring both parties together and stop massive tax increases scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 -- increases that we’ve seen coming now for two year,” Boehner told reporters. “Even with the existence of a clear, bipartisan majority and the support of the American people, we could not get a single up-or-down vote. It’s a sad but not altogether surprising finale to this Congress, and the latest in a long string of congressional sessions that have frayed the fragile bonds of trust between the American people and their elected representatives.
Voters should be upset with the current Congress, Boehner added.
“Americans have every right to be fed up, and trust me, they are,” he said. “But what I won’t accept and what I refuse to accept is that we can simply walk away and let our government continue to drift.”
The top House Republican listed a number of proposals that he said would help the body produce better legislation under a more transparent process, lamenting that under the current Nancy Pelosi-led Congress, only a few people had a hand in crafting bills and the other 400 members “sat on the sidelines.”
“From the floor of the House to the committee level, the integrity of the House has been compromised. The battle of ideas, the very lifeblood of the House, is virtually nonexistent.”
Boehner proposed a “Cut As You Go” -- or CUTGO – rule, which would require members to cut or shrink a government program in the same bill that they propose any new benefit or program. He also porposed re-focusing committees back onto their constitutional role overseeing the Executive Branch and again allowing bills to be debated under the “open rule” system -- meaning that any member is allowed to submit germane amendments for consideration.
Boehner said the current House, led by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has not allowed any bills under this process.
“This is the first Congress in our history that has not allowed one bill to come to the floor under an open rule. The current freshman class has served almost their entire term without ever having the chance to debate a bill under an open process in the House,” Boehner said.
For example, the health-care reform bill was largely crafted by House leadership and then sent to the Rules Committee, which set strict limitations on the length and breadth of debate -- a process Boehner called “ugly.”
“I’ve been here nearly 20 years,” Boehner said of his time in Congress. “I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly; and lately, there’s been a lot of ugly.”
The House on Wednesday narrowly voted (210-209) to adjourn until after the election, after considering dozens of bills under its “suspension” calendar – meaning that the normal rules of the House were suspended, debate was limited to 40 minutes, no amendments were allowed and a two-thirds majority was required to pass a bill.
Congress will not reconvene until after the midterm elections on Nov. 2, when every member of the House is up for reelection.
Well said! The time is NOW!
” that mimics Democrat spending only cuts it by 10% and calls that ‘fiscal responsibility’ “
The code-phrase for what you describe is “Slowing the growth”, and no matter how the Dims may shriek in dismay, does NOT constitute a ‘cut’....
Any politician, or candidate, that utters the phrase “slow the growth of...” should be dismissed - if not shot - out of hand.....
SO HOW LONG WILL WE PRETEND THAT DEMORATS want TO FOLLOW THE LAW????????
how long?????
Actually, I think they have effectively already done that.
Fed up with Congress? HA! We’re fed up by the whole lot!
Fresh start. We have so many laws that no matter what you do now someone can find something to prosecute you with. Of course,that’s exactly what the progressives want.
I’ll point out that you could cut spending 20% and then wait for the economy to grow to catch up to the excess. That of course would entail no new spending. I don’t think out politicians know how to run for office without spending and bribing their constituents.
Thanks!
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another .....
Justa! Great to see you, hope all’s well.
I also hope Boehner means what he’s saying and that a real conservative will be the next Speaker (that doesn’t include him). ;-)
“Did you really
think we want those laws observed?” “We want them to be broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against... We’re after power and we mean it...
There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them.
One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for
anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.” (’Atlas Shrugged’ 1957)
I somehow feel complimented.
I propose that fire them all and start over.
I don’t trust any Republican now in office. I’m a registered Independent. I’ve been giving money to the Republicans for 20 years...all on their promises. This year I decided to shell my money out to individual Conservative candidates I think would make some change. Tonight I got a call from the phone ringers from the RNCC wanting me to give more money. I asked him why should I when I’d gotten the same promises in the past? I finally got tired of his ranting and hung up.
I’m tired of this crap. I’ve tried the ballot box...the soap box...maybe it IS time to go to the bullet box!
Just returned from the "Big 3's" birthday party. They grow up so fast!!!
Hope all is well with you and yours!
Boehner could be pulling a McCain. Hard to tell and even more difficult to believe any of the whores in CONgre$$.
What the GOP establishment pulled in Ohio has soured many folks on the GOP ticket...me included. I can tell you this --
I. WILL. NEVER. VOTE. FOR. MIKE DEWINE!!!
—and then you cash in on guilt.
Consider all these new laws ...
All based on that one premise...guilt.
Sure they don’t call it guilt, it is called
Social Justice.
You can’t have principles, morals, or conviction...if it can all be goaded away by guilt.
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