Republicans in the Texas Legislature want Wendy Davis to pay for the second special session called by Governor Rick Perry. Their logic is irrefutable: her 11-hour filibuster prevented them from passing their pet anti-choice policy. That forced Governor Perry to call a separate session so they could complete their culture-war agenda. Since it was her fault, she should pay.
I think the Texas GOP’s idea is well worth applying to another legislative body–the one that meets in Washington, D.C.
Why shouldn’t We the People require repayment, not just for the GOPs incessant filibusters ( conducted by weenies who don’t even have to match Wendy Davis’ marathon performance–who just have to intone “you don’t have 60 votes”), but for all the other childish antics done solely to prevent Congress from getting the people’s business done. (I think we’re up to 40 votes to repeal Obamacare now…The Congressional Research Service calculates that it costs $24 million to run the House for a week, so the first 33 votes cost taxpayers approximately $48 million. It breaks down to around $1.45 million per vote.)
At the very least, the Party of No should have to pay salaries, utilities and other overhead costs of keeping the Capitol Building open week after unproductive week.
Wendy Davis was trying to prevent a bad bill from becoming law. These childish Congresscritters are not only taking votes they know to be utterly meaningless, they are refusing to do their duty to vote on nominees to fill judicial and administrative vacancies.
When my children were toddlers, and they threw tantrums, they lost privileges. Pretty soon, they stopped throwing tantrums. I see no reason why we shouldn’t take the same approach when Congress misbehaves.
Want to argue the merits of a bill? Fine. That’s why you’re there. No penalty.
Want to stamp your foot and refuse to allow the grown-ups to do the nation’s business? That’s a no-no. Here’s a bill for what it will cost you.
Yes, indeed…those assholes in Texas may accidentally be on to something….
If we have learned one thing from the current congress and their leader Boehner, it is how little power the president of this country has over one party due to their numbers, personal dislikes and childishness. They don’t play well with others.
And let’s demand repayment of the tantrumming Congressmen’s salaries since they have done no work.
We have to keep in mind that the US president really doesn’t have a lot of power. He can approve or veto legislation, but that’s about it when it comes to policy making. Even a president’s efforts to use administrative agencies to affect policy can run into a congressional buzz saw (or a judicial one). We like to think of the president as kind of like being the boss who can get things done, but it’s not quite that way.
Why stop at Washington DC, this sounds like a good idea across the board. Some state & local governments could use a nice kick in the pants too! What about upper managements in the school systems, and some regional and local businesses as well? The lesson is: You don’t do what you’re being paid to do, Then YOU pay Us! Sounds like a good idea, that’s time has come. Just an idea from an ordinary “We the People.”
Starting with Ms. Kennedy’s suggestions, that’s one thing, but that can become lynch mob talk. When an administrator is not doing what in whose judgment should he/she be required to pay back the public? Remember that there are some jobs which carry a great deal of responsibility yet which, for a number of reasons, are not entirely do-able, so that every part of the system falls short. Those are not excuses. They are good reasons. Let’s say, we have a mayor, faced with the impossible task of turning things around in the face of great odds. Or a school superintendent who needs to “turn around” a school district, when the state fails to fund, the community is failing, the board is incompetent, kids don’t think school is important enough to attend, parents can’t/don’t uphold educational values, etc. Who do we dun for that? Maybe the apathetic public? The board? The governor? The legislature? There are many reasons why these people are thankful for laws that protect them from the mob.
“At the very least, the Party of No should have to pay salaries, utilities and other overhead costs of keeping the Capitol Building open week after unproductive week.”
And?? Why don’t the Dem’s do something? They are more like a passive party, when they have the chance to punish the Repg’s in the same fashion they would to a Dem…they pass!!
Every time! How much money did the Repugs’ waste on Clintons BJ ??
This is why most working folks consider both Party’s one in the same, and the Dems’ the lesser of the two evils. …We need more choices.
The Dems don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so they have to play nice.