Posted by
EFuller on Monday, August 06, 2007 7:25:32 AM
House Democrats recently revealed the party's attitude toward rules. When the gavel fell on a vote to send the 2008 Agriculture spending bill back to committee, the Republicans had 215 votes to the Democrat's 213. Then the vote board blinked off, the Democrats "reopened" the vote and declared a 214 vote tie, the record of the vote was "lost" and other shenanigans occurred. Turmoil and outrage erupted. Even the NYT reported that the Republicans had won the vote.
During the brouhaha, Majority Leader Hoyer declared, "We control this House, not the parliamentarians!"
Note the attitude -- rules must never get in the way of Democrat control.
This attitude echoes the maneuvering of the Democratic party over the election of 2000. The Democrats were unwilling to accept the outcome of the election and sought a recount and to suppress the military vote in Florida. In St. Louis they had held the vote open past the deadline and instigated other irregularities in the vote. Again, rules must never get in the way of Democrat control.
This attitude extends to the Constitution of the United States. By viewing it as a living document, and opposing Supreme Court nominees who have a proper respect for the Constitution, the Democrats have successfully altered the legal environment on issues they lacked the votes to enact.
Just remember the real outcome. As a republic, the ultimate authority should reside in the citizens. The rules are for us. We elect representatives by the rules. They are subject to the rules. When political leaders break the rules, they revolt against the citizens.
So when the Democrats break the rules, what they really declare is: Citizens must never get in the way of Democrat control.