TFred
Regular Member
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TFred
TFred
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Senate Democrat Rulebreaking: Starting to generate some heat!
- Thread starter TFred
- Start date
TFred
Regular Member
I was very glad to see this as the subject of today's newsletter from the RPV. The more heat the better for this disgusting lack of regard for the rules of the Senate. As I have said many times, If these "lawmakers" won't even follow their own rules, how in the world can they expect us to follow the "rules" they make for the rest of us to follow?
Of course it's more than a little disappointing that the Special "DeathStar" subcommittee didn't get this kind of attention last year.
TFred
Being a Senator isn't easy. Sometimes it means casting difficult votes, and then explaining those votes to your constituents... unless you decided to break the rules, like a group of Senate Democrats did on Tuesday evening.
Faced with the prospect of casting difficult votes which make them choose between their hard-core liberal base and the overwhelming majority of Virginians, Democrats of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted en masse to break the rules of the Senate.
Yet when asked by Republicans to consider legislation like the Repeal Amendment, which would let 2/3rds of states overrule Congressional action, or bills that would protect Virginia's Right to Work laws, Sen. Janet Howell, D-Reston, ruled the motion out of order, as seen in this video.
When pressed for an explanation of why the motion was out of order, the Democrat had nothing to offer.
From The Washington Post:
"Upon what basis does the chair rule the motion to add the bill to the agenda out of order?" Obenshain asked Howell not long before the committee's vote.
"I believe it's out of order," Howell responded after a pause.
"I don't know what the problem is in voting on a simple motion to add a bill to an agenda," said Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. "The majority were unable to articulate any basis whatsoever for ruling that motion out of order. The chair, with great respect and deference, has abandoned the the traditions and the rules of this body."
"Senators will be counted on votes," added Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville, speaking at an impromptu press conference after the votes. "That's what the people sent them here to do. Whether they agree with the issue or not, we have legitimate debate. Senators should vote on bills."
Of course it's more than a little disappointing that the Special "DeathStar" subcommittee didn't get this kind of attention last year.
TFred
Faced with Tough Votes, Democrats Break Rules
Senators on P&E Committee choose to ignore rules, rather than cast votes on
Repeal Amendment, Right to Work, other common-sense bills
Senators on P&E Committee choose to ignore rules, rather than cast votes on
Repeal Amendment, Right to Work, other common-sense bills
Being a Senator isn't easy. Sometimes it means casting difficult votes, and then explaining those votes to your constituents... unless you decided to break the rules, like a group of Senate Democrats did on Tuesday evening.
Faced with the prospect of casting difficult votes which make them choose between their hard-core liberal base and the overwhelming majority of Virginians, Democrats of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted en masse to break the rules of the Senate.
Under Senate rules, sub-committees may not kill a bill - they can only recommend that action to the entire committee.
Yet when asked by Republicans to consider legislation like the Repeal Amendment, which would let 2/3rds of states overrule Congressional action, or bills that would protect Virginia's Right to Work laws, Sen. Janet Howell, D-Reston, ruled the motion out of order, as seen in this video.
When pressed for an explanation of why the motion was out of order, the Democrat had nothing to offer.
From The Washington Post:
"Upon what basis does the chair rule the motion to add the bill to the agenda out of order?" Obenshain asked Howell not long before the committee's vote.
"I believe it's out of order," Howell responded after a pause.
"I don't know what the problem is in voting on a simple motion to add a bill to an agenda," said Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. "The majority were unable to articulate any basis whatsoever for ruling that motion out of order. The chair, with great respect and deference, has abandoned the the traditions and the rules of this body."
"Senators will be counted on votes," added Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville, speaking at an impromptu press conference after the votes. "That's what the people sent them here to do. Whether they agree with the issue or not, we have legitimate debate. Senators should vote on bills."
Virginia Democrats: Committed to the Rule of Law... Unless it makes them cast uncomfortable votes.
TFred
Regular Member
Follow on
By the way, here's another article on the votes that were the subject of this article. Reading this one makes me even madder that last year's "DeathStar" subcommittee got such little attention from the party "leaders".
I sent a comment via the "contact us" link at the bottom of the page expressing my disappointment at this "sudden" outrage, even though about a DOZEN good bills were similarly killed last year.
TFred
Senate Democrats Kill Transportation 'Lockbox', Right-to-Work, Other Common-Sense Bills in Less Than an Hour
-- Also vote to kill Repeal Amendment resolution --
It might be some sort of record. Legislators have spent entire careers in Richmond and been in the position to kill common-sense, conservative legislation only once or twice. And then they would think long and hard before following through.
But on Tuesday, the current crop of Senate Democrats managed to wipe out no fewer than FOUR such pieces of legislation IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.
During Tuesday morning's meeting of the Senate P&E Committee's Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, Reapportionment, Referenda, Democrats cast party-line votes to kill the following measures:
• SJ 353 - Provides for a 'lockbox' that would block any attempt to divert money from the Transportation Trust Fund to other purposes.
• SJ 301 - Provides that unions may only be formed in Virginia via a secret ballot. Would block "card check" method of unionization.
• SJ 323 - Would enshrine Virginia's right-to-work laws in the Constitution, giving businesses and employers certainty that the Commonwealth's fundamental labor policy won't make any snap changes after an election.
• SJ 280 - Memorializes Congress to call a limited Constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a "repeal amendment" which would let 2/3 of state legislatures repeal any law passed by Congress.
RPV Chairman Pat Mullins issued the following statement on the Democrat's dubious achievement:
"I don't think I've ever seen a group of state Senators make such a strong case for their replacement in such a short amount of time. [I guess Pat needs to wake up and pay more attention then!! -- TFred] The Democrats' decision to kill a Constitutional amendment that would have protected our Transportation Trust Fund is simply indefensible - especially given the frequent Democratic hand-wringing over transportation funding.
Their votes against protecting our Right-to-Work laws are astoundingly short sighted. At a time when Virginia needs every advantage it can get to bring jobs into the Commonwealth, putting Right-To-Work into the Virginia Constitution would give employers a new measure of certainty, making it easier for them to create new jobs. Yet the Democrats voted in lock step AGAINST making that advantage stronger.
Democrats like to talk about how there's never been a challenge to our Right to Work laws, and so we don't need a Constitutional amendment. But just because you've never had an accident doesn't mean you don't need car insurance.
But most baffling of all is their decision to vote against the Repeal Amendment. It's apparent that these Senators missed the overwhelming message that voters around Virginia sent to Washington when they retired three incumbent Democratic Congressmen in November."
By the way, here's another article on the votes that were the subject of this article. Reading this one makes me even madder that last year's "DeathStar" subcommittee got such little attention from the party "leaders".
I sent a comment via the "contact us" link at the bottom of the page expressing my disappointment at this "sudden" outrage, even though about a DOZEN good bills were similarly killed last year.
TFred
Senate Democrats Kill Transportation 'Lockbox', Right-to-Work, Other Common-Sense Bills in Less Than an Hour
-- Also vote to kill Repeal Amendment resolution --
It might be some sort of record. Legislators have spent entire careers in Richmond and been in the position to kill common-sense, conservative legislation only once or twice. And then they would think long and hard before following through.
But on Tuesday, the current crop of Senate Democrats managed to wipe out no fewer than FOUR such pieces of legislation IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.
During Tuesday morning's meeting of the Senate P&E Committee's Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, Reapportionment, Referenda, Democrats cast party-line votes to kill the following measures:
• SJ 353 - Provides for a 'lockbox' that would block any attempt to divert money from the Transportation Trust Fund to other purposes.
• SJ 301 - Provides that unions may only be formed in Virginia via a secret ballot. Would block "card check" method of unionization.
• SJ 323 - Would enshrine Virginia's right-to-work laws in the Constitution, giving businesses and employers certainty that the Commonwealth's fundamental labor policy won't make any snap changes after an election.
• SJ 280 - Memorializes Congress to call a limited Constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a "repeal amendment" which would let 2/3 of state legislatures repeal any law passed by Congress.
RPV Chairman Pat Mullins issued the following statement on the Democrat's dubious achievement:
"I don't think I've ever seen a group of state Senators make such a strong case for their replacement in such a short amount of time. [I guess Pat needs to wake up and pay more attention then!! -- TFred] The Democrats' decision to kill a Constitutional amendment that would have protected our Transportation Trust Fund is simply indefensible - especially given the frequent Democratic hand-wringing over transportation funding.
Their votes against protecting our Right-to-Work laws are astoundingly short sighted. At a time when Virginia needs every advantage it can get to bring jobs into the Commonwealth, putting Right-To-Work into the Virginia Constitution would give employers a new measure of certainty, making it easier for them to create new jobs. Yet the Democrats voted in lock step AGAINST making that advantage stronger.
Democrats like to talk about how there's never been a challenge to our Right to Work laws, and so we don't need a Constitutional amendment. But just because you've never had an accident doesn't mean you don't need car insurance.
But most baffling of all is their decision to vote against the Repeal Amendment. It's apparent that these Senators missed the overwhelming message that voters around Virginia sent to Washington when they retired three incumbent Democratic Congressmen in November."
TFred
Regular Member
And more....
TFred
TFred
Virginia's Senate Democrats don't need no stinkin' rules
[...]
Why the sudden change? Democratic leaders were still smarting over the sudden passage of a series of health care freedom bills – measures that gave Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli the legal basis to challenge Obamacare in federal court. They weren’t about to let such a thing happen again. Obenshain wrote: “
“…when a special subcommittee in Senate Courts of Justice, created for the express purpose of bottling up bills (mostly gun bills) the committee's chairman doesn't like, met and killed bill after bill.
They killed a dozen bills in that meeting, denying the full committee the opportunity to vote on them, as has always been the Senate's policy (subcommittees make recommendations, but, until now, never had the power to kill a bill).”
[...]
Why the sudden change? Democratic leaders were still smarting over the sudden passage of a series of health care freedom bills – measures that gave Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli the legal basis to challenge Obamacare in federal court. They weren’t about to let such a thing happen again. Obenshain wrote: “
“…when a special subcommittee in Senate Courts of Justice, created for the express purpose of bottling up bills (mostly gun bills) the committee's chairman doesn't like, met and killed bill after bill.
They killed a dozen bills in that meeting, denying the full committee the opportunity to vote on them, as has always been the Senate's policy (subcommittees make recommendations, but, until now, never had the power to kill a bill).”
Thundar
Regular Member
Yeah here it is again.
This is the corrosive effect of corruption destroying the little faith that is left in the institutions of our fair Commonwealth. Corruption is the harbinger of tyranny.
Certain Commonwealth Senators putting themselves above the rules. Ruling by fiat and inventing ways to ensure that any attempt to hold them accountable is difficult indeed.
This evil arrived last year. The pro gun community ignored the travesty. Instead of an all out political fight, many chose to celebrate the concealed carry in restaurants that serve alcohol ban repeal. A P4P scrap from the table. What did the evildoers in the Senate learn from our timid response? They learned that they can do almost anything they want without consequences.
We need state senators with the courage to stand up in the Senate hhamber in RIchmond and demand respect for our system of government and the rules which bind legislators. We are a people of LexRex, not RexLex. Call the bastards out. Call them tyrannts who deserve the tar and feather.
Live Free or Die,
Thundar
This is the corrosive effect of corruption destroying the little faith that is left in the institutions of our fair Commonwealth. Corruption is the harbinger of tyranny.
Certain Commonwealth Senators putting themselves above the rules. Ruling by fiat and inventing ways to ensure that any attempt to hold them accountable is difficult indeed.
This evil arrived last year. The pro gun community ignored the travesty. Instead of an all out political fight, many chose to celebrate the concealed carry in restaurants that serve alcohol ban repeal. A P4P scrap from the table. What did the evildoers in the Senate learn from our timid response? They learned that they can do almost anything they want without consequences.
We need state senators with the courage to stand up in the Senate hhamber in RIchmond and demand respect for our system of government and the rules which bind legislators. We are a people of LexRex, not RexLex. Call the bastards out. Call them tyrannts who deserve the tar and feather.
Live Free or Die,
Thundar
Repeater
Regular Member
jmelvin
Founder's Club Member
Although some would doubt the purpose of the Founders ensuring the citizenry had arms to reform their government as a last step when it no longer served the people anyone with open eyes should see this type of behavior as the early precursers to tyranny. Now these precusers to tyrany are not new but have been present even since the founding with such acts such as the Sedition Act signed by John Adams which led to the imprisonment of Americans for simply speaking ill of their government, which only operates with the authority granted by the people. Ensuring a true representative government requires always watching what's going on and being prepared to take the action necessary to prevent tyranny using peaceful means first.
Repeater
Regular Member
Tommy Norment is a problem
And the problem is, he collaborates with the enemy.
This proves, once again, he will never change, he will never be a friend, let alone an ally, of Virginia gun owners. And this shows why, unless he is defeated, even if the GOP reclaim the Senate, there will be little or no improvement.
Elections matter!
Okay, now understand this: Tommy defended Janet!
Tommy becomes a useful idiot for Not Larry Sabato:
You see how damaging that is? All because Tommy wants to get along.
Well, our side fought back. See Shaun Kenney:
As Jim Riley explains:
And the problem is, he collaborates with the enemy.
This proves, once again, he will never change, he will never be a friend, let alone an ally, of Virginia gun owners. And this shows why, unless he is defeated, even if the GOP reclaim the Senate, there will be little or no improvement.
Elections matter!
Okay, now understand this: Tommy defended Janet!
Tommy becomes a useful idiot for Not Larry Sabato:
You see how damaging that is? All because Tommy wants to get along.
Well, our side fought back. See Shaun Kenney:
As Jim Riley explains: