Tom Delay - Catch & Release Voting

[sandnsea]

Just something I ran across in wikipedia, thought I'd post.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeLay

In order to allow Northeastern Republicans to appear moderate to their constituents, he allows these "moderates" to take turns voting against controversial bills - a technique called "catch and release." If a Congressman says a bill is unpopular in his district, DeLay will only make him vote for it if his vote is necessary for passage - if his vote is not needed, he or she will be allowed to vote against the party without reprisal. You can see "catch and release" at work every time a bill passes by one vote. In the 108th Congress, a preliminary Medicare vote passed 216-215, a vote on Head Start passed 217-216, a vote on vouchers for DC passed 209-208. "Fast track," aka "trade promotion authority," passed by one vote as well.

[bridgit]

1. the republican congress has no real conscience

wherever "catch and release" practices are known to exist those politicians should be shown the exit. 'symbolic votes', such as the one they all made great sport of kerry for casting, should be imo discouraged as well.

all this nonsense goes to the dilution of our democracy which for a group that abhors it plays right into that end.

democracy now!

[adwon]

2. This is standard political practice

There's nothing new about this at all. LBJ did the same thing to pass the expansion of Social Security in the 1950s. Earle Clements, the Democratic whip from Kentucky, initially voted against the legislation, in accordance with the feeling of his state. When it became apparent that the bill was going to be defeated (it was tied 46-46), he had Clements return from the cloakroom and change his vote to ensure passage. Clements would subsequently pay for this vote by losing his seat.

The practice is not bad in itself. I'd spend more time arguing against the bills Delay uses it for than against the practice itself.

[sandnsea]

3. Right

Some people just don't understand the pressures and games in Congress. That's why I posted it.

[adwon]

4. Yep

Without tactics like this, national parties would be impossible to manage. Hell, party platforms would be nonexistent. I can't imagine a legislative process where compromise just doesn't exist.