House erupts in chaos

[babylonsister]

House erupts in chaos

In a massive flare-up of partisan tensions, Republicans walked out on a House vote late Thursday night to protest what they believed to be Democratic maneuvers to reverse an unfavorable outcome for them.

The flap represents a complete breakdown in parliamentary procedure and an unprecedented low for the sometimes bitterly divided chamber.

The rancor erupted shortly before 11 p.m. as Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.) gaveled close the vote on a standard procedural measure with the outcome still in doubt.

Details remain fuzzy, but numerous Republicans argued afterward that they had secured a 215-213 win on their motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds apportioned in the agricultural spending bill for employment or rental assistance. Democrats, however, argued the measure was deadlocked at 214-214 and failed, members and aides on both sides of the aisle said afterward.

One GOP aide saw McNulty gavel the vote to a close after receiving a signal from his leaders – but before reading the official tally. And votes continued to shift even after he closed the roll call - a strange development in itself.

Whatever the final tally, acrimony quickly exploded between lawmakers on either side of the aisle as Democratic leaders tried to plot a solution, while parliamentarians on either side argued over protocol.

more (and consider the source)...

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0807/House_erupts_in_chaos.html

[Buzz Clik]

1. Lovely. Welcome to the Philippines.

Christ, we sink lower and lower. We won't be happy until we start fist fights on the floor of the House.

[SteppingRazor]

5. I'd be happy to see fistfights, in a way.

At least it would mean the reps are passionate about something. The only thing I'm weirded out over is that all this started over an agriculture appropriations bill. Why can't we see his sort of fire in a war appropriations bill, for example?

[rodeodance]

2. cspan is talking of this right now.

[Totally Committed]

3. Just like a Banana Republic.

The pride in those I have elected just slips by the minute.

TC

[MADem]

4. What a bunch of FUCKING WHINERS and CRYBABIES!!!!

That takes the cake!!!

POLITICO is so full of shit. The only "source" I'd trust is the damned tape. When the House is in session, the cameras are rolling. Constantly. Continuously.

It should be easy to clear this up without using phrases like "Whatever the final tally..." and "Details remain fuzzy." That's BULLSHIT.

There's no doubt as to what happened, if they'd only go to the tape.

[babylonsister]

6. I KNOW you saw the disclaimer about Politico...

yes, I'd like to see the tape, too.

[Totally Committed]

7. You know, you're right!

I never thought of that. Can they pay the tape back?

That would clear this up.

TC

[MADem]

10. If the assclowns at RightWing POLITICO don't have CSPAN on continuous TIVO, they're LOSERS.

I mean, politics is their JOB. Wouldn't you spring for a couple of DVRS if that was your line of work??? They'd be tax deductible!

[SteppingRazor]

8. I agree, but that post from Politico was posted at 1:30 a.m.

So, at the time, it was entirely accurate to say "details are fuzzy."

[MADem]

9. Not at all fuzzy if they'd just rewind the tape! If the House is in session, CSPAN is ON. nt

[SteppingRazor]

11. Have you seen the tape?

It is, in fact, damned confusing.

[MADem]

13. They have these things called PAUSE and REWIND.

If people can be convicted on grainy surveillance tapes, I'm sure a patient person who wasn't interested in 'rushing to publication' for political purposes could sort out what actually happened. The sequence of events should be able to be ascertained, if nothing else.

[SteppingRazor]

16. Our own political video forum has some of the video.

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x45157


You can see from that that the sequence of events is anything but clear, no matter how many times you pause and rewind (thank you, though, for explaining to me the existence of those features. I had no idea the wonders that modern technology offered. :eyes: )

What was needed here was simply calling up a couple house reps and saying, "What the hell happened?" Something that, obviously, politico failed to do. I won't speculate as to whether this rush to publication was due to the usual competitive race of deadline journalism, which has only gotten worse with the advent of blogs and online political coverage, or, as you suggest, some partisan reason that apparently involves trying to make the Dems look incompetent. But either way, it's no excuse for putting out a poor-quality piece.

[MADem]

20. Steny is on CSPAN now, explaining it, line by line. NT

[SteppingRazor]

22. Thanks for the heads up! n/t

[MADem]

23. Now Bonehead is talking--what a bunch of fucking crybabies.

They're so 'aggrieved' but they've got some shortass memories...

[AngryAmish]

12. The Rethuglikkkans should not be allowed to vote

[SteppingRazor]

14. Yeah! That'd be democracy!

:eyes:

[Not Me]

15. So, help me out here...if every Repub left, would there be a quorum?

Are there enough Dems? Such that if this should happen again, we could ram through legislation without them?
Just sayin.

[SteppingRazor]

18. We can already ram some legislation through the House. It's the Senate that's the problem. n/t

[Not Me]

21. No I meant like, introduce, vote. Done.

No discussion.

[babylonsister]

17. Being repeated on CSPAN. Sounds like a bunch of drunken sailors to me. nt

[Bitwit1234]

19. Even during President Clintons terms

the republicans have had the majority. That's 15 years. They can't understand they can't make the rules any longer. That the Constitution sets the rules for congress and they want the privilege bush has to ignore all the laws they don't like.

[NoFederales]

24. If every issue were ground out like this I'd think it a good thing. A messy

political scrap is vital for discussion and these elected officials are supposed to be grounded in scrapping and then reaching consensus. Of course, look at the times in which we live with the * admn, may be we are witnessing a complete breakdown of the Republic.

NoFederales

[0007]

25. Thanks for the link!

The Comments are well worth reading and gives a taste of where this country is heading, with our fearless leader at the helm.


http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0807/House_erupt...

[dorktv]

26. The Freepers on myspace were hysterical over this.

No one posted the original video of the actual vote tally but Congressional Quarterly just said that it was one of those "oops" because one member changed their vote last second. Literally the clerk read it as the gavel came down.

The final vote was apparently 212-217 though...so no idea what the Republicans are whining about.

The funniest thing over on Myspace was the claim that this had never ever happened before. No one who said that could back it up either.