Are you looking at me?
Posted on 04/18/2015 8:50:37 AM PDT by TurboZamboni
The Minnesota Senate will keep its rule forbidding members from looking at one another during floor debate and will continue to ban everyone from having drinks on the Senate floor. The issues arose Monday during the passage of the rules to govern the Senate. On a 15-44 vote, the Senate decided to keep its current requirement that all speakers must gaze at the Senate president. "I find this particular rule of the Senate, dare I say, antiquated," said Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove. But Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, disagreed. When you can look at the senator speaking, he said, debates could become longer and more personal. "Our decorum would probably not be as Senate-like as we would like to have it," Bakk said. A bipartisan majority agreed with Bakk. On Monday, the Senate also considered whether senators and staff should be permitted water on the Senate floor.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
“and will continue to ban everyone from having drinks on the Senate floor.”
Where is their humanity?
that’s because they all so ugly there should be a law against looking at them directly- well done Minnesota
Damn! They are going to Scotch the Bourbon on the floor of the Senate?
So... you are forced to listen to boring horse crap, you aren’t allowed to lock eyes with a friend across the room, and you aren’t allowed to self-medicate.
But this rule also keeps the members from exchanging puppy-dog eyes with each other, and thus the degree of love is greatly in deficit.
No wonder there is so little civility and politeness exhibited on the floor of the Minnesota Senate.
Gotta love those MinneeeSOtons....eh?
But the amendment where the speakers had to "gaze lovingly" was defeated 29-30.
In Finland....if you ever go up....if you stand and observe three or four folks after work and sipping a beer....they will all be facing in a slightly different direction (not face-to-face). You can stand there and observe a conversation taking place and each person paying attention but they never see the look on the guy’s face.
Under Robert’s Rules (not sure if the Minn. Senate uses those)
all comments need to be directed to the presiding officer.
Theoretically it reduces the chance of an ad hominem.
They will also be required to wear welder’s face shields when addressing the chamber.
Meanwhile, I’m at the homeschool convention in St. Paul. If you were at the Rivercenter right now, you would feel better about your fellow Minnesotans :). The teen track is having a mock election to teach kids how the process works; primaries, campaign, to final election. Yes, a bunch of “nerdy” homeschoolers, but hopefully they can help change things when they are adults. Bring reason and civility back.
Are you looking at me?
There are some celebrities who demand this.
No one is to make eye contact as the celeb strolls about.
[[In Finland....if you ever go up....if you stand and observe three or four folks after work and sipping a beer....they will all be facing in a slightly different direction (not face-to-face). You can stand there and observe a conversation taking place and each person paying attention but they never see the look on the guy’s face.]]
So I gues the demand to “Look at me when I’m talking to you” is out of the question in finland? lol
[[“and will continue to ban everyone from having drinks on the Senate floor.”]]
At least look me in the eye when you say that!
Taking orders from Hillary....NEVER LOOK ME IN THE EYES....KEEP YOUR HEADS DOWN and DON”T SPEAK TO ME EITHER!
Well that’s just stupid.
I lived in MN until I was about 40, Minnesotans (at least the men) talk to each other standing in a similar fashion.
I still do.
The rule may seem strange to outsiders, not so much to Minnesotans.
So similar to how it works in Court.
The Senators are to address the Speaker of the body.
In Court, the attorneys are to address the Judge, not the other attorneys.
And as with the U.S. Senate, drinks and relaxing stuff are to be kept in the back room.
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