One day in Congress and Frank Kratovil is already showing his stripes.
Yesterday the House approved new rules on a practically party-line basis. Chief among the rules dropped from the Contract With America-era rules (which made things more fair for both the majority and minority party) were the six-year term limit on committee chairs and neutering the “motion to recommit”:
A motion to recommit a bill or joint resolution may include instructions only in the form of a direction to report an amendment or amendments back to the House forthwith.
The other bothersome practice which drew controversy last year was holding votes open until the side the Speaker deems correct prevails. Guess what, it’s now the rule of the House that Speaker Pelosi or whoever is running the show at that particular juncture can twist some arms and get their way:
Conduct of Votes- In clause 2(a) of rule XX, strike `A record vote by electronic device shall not be held open for the sole purpose of reversing the outcome of such vote.’. (Emphasis mine.)
There were also a number of changes to promote gender neutrality, which only serves the point of political correctness.
While there were six Democrats who bravely stood up for the old rules (while seven chose not to vote), Frank wasn’t one of them. And it only took two votes for Kratovil to assert his “independence” and keep Nancy Pelosi as Speaker (the first vote was to determine a quorum.)
Four votes so far, two poor ones. Is this what the Eastern Shore really wanted?
The hat tip for today goes to the ALG blog, but the research was something I already knew how to do. Count on it being done a lot.
Let us know when you have some real news to report. The idea that anyone would vote against the Speaker is ridiculous. Why don’t you start a count of how many filibusters the Republicans use this session? They set a record last session. They can either choose to be part of the solution or continue the effort to be human roadblocks to change.
While his vote for the rule changes should certainly be condemned, did you really think that Kratovil’s ostensible independence would reach as far as voting in favor of John Boehner for Speaker? If Kratovil votes in favor of gun control or opposes a tax cut, then he’s fair game. Voting in favor of a Speaker from his own party is reaching. I doubt anyone voting for him expected him to oppose the election of Pelosi as House Speaker.
But I thought Kratovil was “independent” so he would withhold a vote for Speaker. Yes, I realize he would vote party line but that was just a reminder to folks that I told them that if they wanted Pelosi for Speaker they should vote for Frank.
ShoreThings, I hope the GOP does a LOT of filibusters this session; unfortunately the cloture rules are different in the House than the Senate. Besides, if advocating for a more limited federal government and bureaucracy makes me a “human roadblock to change”, I’ll wear that mantle proudly. Your idea of change seems to be one where that’s all I’ll have left in my pockets once I get finished paying for the extreme government growth to come.
Michael,
So, to prove he is “independent,” Kratovil should vote for Republicans, or should he simply vote how you want him to on every vote? Here’s a little secret: he is a Democrat! The sooner you Republicans recognize that the country actually voted for Democrats this last election, the better. Try picking a better candidate than Andy “Iraq is a theocracy” Harris next time.
But wait FF, Frank ran as an “independent”, remember? You know, this is the guy who pretty much scrubbed all the prominent state Democrats who endorsed him – especially Martin O’Malley – off his website once he won the primary.
I think the country voted more for “change” in the last election than for Democrats. Perhaps a more conservative GOP alternative on the Presidential ballot would have helped – unfortunately, too many Republicans heed Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment when it should be ignored, I choose not to.
We’ll see who runs on the GOP side in 2010, but I can almost guarantee you he or she would be better for the Eastern Shore than Frank Kratovil will eventually turn out to be.
Anyone who voted for Kratovil because they thought he was a complete independent is not particularly smart. There is a difference between having an independent voice within the Democratic Party (as Kratovil will) and being a full independent. I think it is funny that you guys are still claiming that the election was about “change” and not against the Republican agenda. What do you think we wanted a change from, after all?
Actually, I thought your first sentence was too wordy…take out the phrase “because they thought he was a complete independent” and you hit the nail on the head.
Considering our standard-bearer wasn’t really following the Republican agenda as I’m interpreting it (limited government, lower taxes, strong against illegal immigration and open borders, etc.) I think my argument is still valid.
Now the Democrats will have no one to pin blame on. Sure, they can claim the recession began under Bush but if Obama’s solutions don’t work the onus will be on them.
Just to go off on a tangent, Mike, but you can’t have limited government while you also advocate in favor of strict immigration restrictions. As your support of the Real ID Act and other police state actions against both employers and workers indicates, supporting immigration restrictions leads one down the path of supporting big government. Time to be consistent and actually support limited government and the freedom of businesses and workers to make contracts without interference from the government (even if those workers speak Spanish).
Andy Harris was following your Republican agenda right on down the line, complete with some of the more wacky far right views. And yet, he could not get himself elected on the Eastern Shore! Be sure to blow hard to get the sand out of your nose when you finally decide to look up.
Sorry, FF, my head’s not in the sand and I’m looking forward, not up. It seems like you so-called “progressives” only seem to want to progress into more government and less personal freedom. My point will continue to be that, for the most part, Kratovil doesn’t truly represent “Eastern Shore” values as he claims to, and my task will be to root out what I think will be ample evidence of that over the next two years.
Michael,
I’m glad that you are the arbiter of “Eastern Shore values.” Here’s a thought: maybe I am the arbiter of “Estern Shore values” since my guy got elected and your guy did not. That should keep you awake at night!
For your sake, I hope the Reps actually take back a few seats in 2010, otherwise you might go all the way off the deep end. That would be sad.
If that’s the case, I’ll take 45 seats in the U.S. House (including ours), ten seats in the U.S. Senate, 35 seats in the House of Delegates, ten seats in the Maryland Senate, and that seat Martin O’Malley is keeping warm.
That oughta make all of us happy.