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47of74

(18,470 posts)
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:37 PM Oct 2013

Question: Should they make some changes to the role of Speaker of the House?

I've been wondering if it's time to make some changes to the role of Speaker of the House over the past few days. Such as maybe making it a non-partisan office? Or instead instead of the members of the House choosing the Speaker have the person with the greatest amount of seniority in the House be the Speaker, regardless of party? Perhaps making it so the Speaker only votes in case of a tie?

I don't know - maybe making changes would be a case of the cure being worse than the disease. I'm just so sick of that orange idiot and his refusal to do right by the American people.

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Bjorn Against

(12,041 posts)
3. I think changes are needed that would reduce the power of the speaker
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:45 PM
Oct 2013

I think there needs to be a process by which the rest of Congress can demand a vote be taken on a bill, the speaker should not be able to prevent a vote on any bill that the majority wants the opportunity to vote on.

I oppose seniority privileges for lawmakers in crafting legislation, there is no reason any member of congress should have more power just because they have been there longer, I think steps need to be taken to attempt to ensure that all members of Congress have an equal amount of power. The current system in which some in Congress have far more power than others is undemocratic.

bottomofthehill

(8,261 posts)
4. its not quite that easy, the Speakers Selection is in Article 1 section 1 of the Constitution.
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:48 PM
Oct 2013

We cant pass the ERA, how will we ever get a national referendum passed on changing the role of the Speaker. Just because this one is weak and fucked up, you don't try to change the rules. you change the people electing the Speaker

bottomofthehill

(8,261 posts)
6. sorry, article 1 section 2, the last line
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:54 PM
Oct 2013

Section 1.

All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 2.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the state of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any state, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

former9thward

(31,798 posts)
5. The Speaker normally only votes in a tie.
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:53 PM
Oct 2013

So your suggestion is already the practice. The Speaker will sometimes vote in order to make a political statement but that is rare. In terms of your other suggestion they would run afoul of the Constitution which designates how the the Speaker is selected.

former9thward

(31,798 posts)
13. No I am not.
Fri Oct 4, 2013, 10:39 AM
Oct 2013

They rarely vote. This is from when Hastert was the Speaker but it makes the point: The Speaker does not often vote, and the House rules say that he must vote only to break a tie. Notice then, because a tie vote defeats a question, the Speaker can occasionally vote to cause a tie and so defeat a proposal

http://firstclass.rfsd.k12.co.us/~mschneiter/Fad/speaker.htm

Tx4obama

(36,974 posts)
7. My answers to your questions...
Thu Oct 3, 2013, 11:55 PM
Oct 2013

Such as maybe making it a non-partisan office?
NO - The party that is in the majority should continue to take over, it's part of winning the elections.

Or instead instead of the members of the House choosing the Speaker have the person with the greatest amount of seniority in the House be the Speaker, regardless of party?

NO. Usually the person with the great amount of seniority is VERY old - and wouldn't be able to keep up with all of the demands of the job plus all the regular stuff they have to do in their normal job of being a congressperson.

Perhaps making it so the Speaker only votes in case of a tie?
NO. It is the job of the Vice-President of the USA to vote when there is a tie. I think that rule is in the U.S. Constitution.



What probably should be changed is the rule about 'how' bills can be brought to the full floor for a vote.

 

47of74

(18,470 posts)
15. The Speaker is the Speaker of THE House.
Fri Oct 4, 2013, 07:55 PM
Oct 2013

He or she should be above the partisan horse manure and not leading it.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
8. They should encourage that drunkard in the job to go to rehab.
Fri Oct 4, 2013, 03:55 AM
Oct 2013

He'll probably say "No, no, no," but at least the issue would be out there for public discussion.

The Tearful Tangerine would probably be replaced by someone far worse.

I think the only solution is to encourage everyone to VOTE DEM in 2014, and boot the basstids out of power.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
10. The most senior member is the Dean of the House already
Fri Oct 4, 2013, 04:02 AM
Oct 2013

He does some ceremonial stuff.

Maybe we should eliminate the majority leader position and just merge it with the Speaker's office.

Freddie

(9,231 posts)
11. The President should be allowed to overrule the Speaker
Fri Oct 4, 2013, 06:32 AM
Oct 2013

And demand that a vote be held. The only reason the shutdown is happening is his refusal to allow the whole House to vote (in violation of the Hastert Rule).

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