A great post from Sonic Charmer at Rhymes With Cars and Girls:
I’ve tried to follow some of the debate surrounding the trial-ballooned ‘Slaughter Rule’ method of passing “healthcare” “reform”, wherein some sort of rules-vote is taken containing language that “deems” the Senate version to have been passed by the House. For some, the issue is whether it shows contempt for the constitution (see Volokh) or otherwise shocking/extreme in one way or another. I certainly find the idea repellent, but I don’t feel overly qualified to weigh in on its Constitutionality and all that.
Unfortunately, such debate seems to miss the main issue, which is that the logic behind the ‘Slaughter Rule’ hinges crucially on the idea that the people are morons. This rule may or may not show contempt for the Constitution, but it undeniably shows contempt for the people.
The entire intent of the ‘Slaughter Rule’ is to allow certain key congressmen to vote for the Senate’s version of “healthcare” “reform” while pretending they didn’t vote for it. That’s all it is, pure and simple. So they will vote on this ‘rules change’, and “healthcare” “reform” will (therefore) be signed into law, but somehow (I guess the idea is) they will go back to their home districts and tell their people they didn’t vote for “healthcare” “reform”. Thus leaving them a ’safe’ middle way out of the political bind they’re supposedly in while remaining party-loyal. That seems to be about the extent of the political calculation here.
But that only makes sense if you think people are morons. Idiots. Stupid. Anyone who suggests the ‘Slaughter Rule’ as a method of passing laws is implicitly saying they think the people are stupid. Any congressman who (a) wouldn’t vote for law X but (b) would consider voting for law X via a ‘Slaughter Rule’ is admitting they think their own constituents are dupes. The entire ’strategy’ is premised on one and one idea only, which is that there’s a way for congressman to vote for a law – undeniably, incontrovertibly vote for a law – but in such a way that they can still trick their own constituents into thinking they didn’t vote for it.
Go read the whole thing.
3 comments:
Except for the potential chaos, medical care and equipment rationing, cyanotic medical research and development, and a broke treasury whose plan to pay the debt off will have to be either $1000 loaves of bread or massive economy killing taxes, I would tell the republicans to just remain quiet but for Eric Cantor getting on the Meet the Press and just quietly saying... 'GO AHEAD, MAKE MY DAY'.
But there is just too much at stake.
Anyone remember the russian nut case, who last year predicted the end breakup of the USA?
1984 ism from Volokh:
"Can the House vote to adopt a rule which “deems” that a particular bill has been passed, even if that particular bill has not been passed?"
THE END OF AMERICA
Go ahead Nancy .. make MY day
I agree.
I actually hope they pull this maneuver because there's no friggin' way it'll pass the Supreme Court.
In fact, what it will be is a way, for the Dems, of voting for healthcare without actually passing healthcare.
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