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The Speaker Who Would Be Maître D'
NY Times ^ | December 2, 2004 | MEATHEAD EDITORIAL

Posted on 12/01/2004 11:45:59 PM PST by neverdem

the speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, has reached a dangerous new level of partisan zealotry to bolster the Republicans' control of government. For the new Congress, Mr. Hastert intends to cater to what he calls "the majority of the majority" in deciding which bills will get a vote and which won't. He has little use for the bipartisan majorities idealized in civics classes and once seen even in the House.

Mr. Hastert first enunciated his approach last year in a speech. "The job of speaker is not to expedite legislation that runs counter to the wishes of the majority of his majority," he said. At the time, it sounded like mere grandstanding. But it was put into practice last month when Mr. Hastert - ostensibly tasked by President Bush with steering the intelligence reform bill to passage - trembled before opposition in his caucus and blocked the final compromise from a floor vote. Since this was in secret, it is not even clear that "the majority of the majority" exercised a veto; it was enough for Republican leaders to sense that plenty of Democrats would vote for the compromise on this desperately needed bill.

Capitol history shows that Democratic majorities did not hesitate to abuse Republican minorities. But during the long years when Democrats controlled the House, on some major bills affecting the national interest - like balancing the budget, reforming welfare and approving the free trade agreement during the Clinton years - Republicans were afforded a role. The Hastert doctrine hobbles any notion of compromise.

The speaker, whose candor is breathtaking in relegating the Democratic minority to somewhere beyond the pale, seems to be trying to solidify his influence over the members of the more conservative incoming majority. But cravenly surrendering his gavel to them seems an odd way to do that. It leaves Mr. Hastert looking more like a maître d' offering favored customers a good table than the most powerful man in Congress.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Illinois; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: dennishastert; doublestandard; hastert; leftistmedia; newyorkslimes; nyslimes
But during the long years when Democrats controlled the House, on some major bills affecting the national interest - like balancing the budget, reforming welfare and approving the free trade agreement during the Clinton years - Republicans were afforded a role.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), pact that calls for the gradual removal of tariffs and other trade barriers on most goods produced and sold in North America. NAFTA became effective in Canada, Mexico, and the United States on January 1, 1994.

What a crock, balanced budgets and welfare reform were done when the pubbies had the House. I think the Times would just as soon give passports to illegal aliens, rather than hint that the issue about illegals getting defacto internal passports, driver's licenses, is one of the two holdups to passing the intelligence reform.

1 posted on 12/01/2004 11:45:59 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem

Did the NY Times object when Tom Daschle imposed a rule requiring that unless a majority of the Democratic caucus approved of a nominee, they would all have to unite in a filibuster?


2 posted on 12/01/2004 11:48:13 PM PST by ambrose
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To: neverdem
He has little use for the bipartisan majorities idealized in civics classes and once seen even in the House.

That's because the Democrats have been doing nothing but ambush partisan crap for the past 2 years. To hell with them.

3 posted on 12/01/2004 11:49:11 PM PST by Prime Choice (I like Democrats, too. Let's exchange recipes.)
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To: neverdem

Oh God, somebody call a Waambulance.

As for >Republicans were afforded a role<
What BS!
As if those were devised, crafted, and promoted by dems!!

They still don't get it and they aren't ever going to.
We should start a boycott of their advertisers.

But like I told a rather wealthy Dim that I know up in Pa, who was screaming about the rule change for DeLay,

"It's a bitch being on the losing side ain't it?"


4 posted on 12/01/2004 11:56:24 PM PST by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: neverdem

5 posted on 12/02/2004 12:25:11 AM PST by RWR8189 (Its Morning in America Again!)
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To: bill1952

I don't know how to retrieve the vote for NAFTA, but I willing to bet NAFTA was passed in the House with almost all of the pubbie caucus and some blue or yellow dog dems.


6 posted on 12/02/2004 12:26:36 AM PST by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: neverdem

That's how it should be.

Winner takes all. Ha Ha Ha


7 posted on 12/02/2004 12:42:07 AM PST by El Oviedo
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To: neverdem

It's about time that the Repubs showed some spine.


8 posted on 12/02/2004 1:56:17 AM PST by WideGlide (That light at the end of the tunnel might be a muzzle flash.)
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