Posted on 03/17/2010 7:07:01 AM PDT by La Lydia
Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas, CA), House Rules Committee Ranking Republican, is joining his Republican colleagues today in calling for an open and transparent process when the Rules Committee considers healthcare reform, including the presence of cameras so that the American people can see what kind of procedural gimmicks are being employed there.
“We’ve been asking for months for cameras to be installed in the Rules Committee hearing room and now the American people understand why it’s so necessary,” Dreier said. “With proposals like the Slaughter Solution being embraced by Speaker Pelosi, the American people now understand, the Rules Committee is being used to manipulate the process to avoid accountability and transparency. If the Majority is going to insist on hiding votes on bills behind rules, the least they could do is let the American people watch the action.”
Dreier is a co-sponsor of H.Res. 869, a resolution sponsored by Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) calling on the Chief Administrative Officer to install cameras in the hearing room of the Committee on Rules and to coordinate with the Committee to record and broadcast its proceedings.
Dreier said the proposed strategy to “deem and pass” the unwanted Senate healthcare bill without an actual up or down vote has clearly been the tipping point for millions of Americans. “The American people get it – process is substance. With the Democratic Majority poised to turn the rules of the House on their head just to get their government takeover of healthcare through, we need cameras there to record it.”
I think it should go without saying, when they are talking about a very unconstitutional maneuver that they want to pull off. If they have the courage of their convictions, let them stand up in front of us and tell us so.
If they believe it is the right thing to do, they shouldn’t have any problem with doing it where the citizens can see them doing it!
They should forget about these empty rhetoric efforts and have the fortitude to take their own cameras into the hearing room and start either streaming video or shell out the bucks for a satellite feed. No guts, no glory — and not saving our democracy. As one of our astute Freepers said yesterday, it’s tough to form a fist when you are wringing your hands.
The problem with your plan is that, because the Democrats are in the majority, they control what happens in the committee room. That is, they can ban cameras. If someone brings “unauthorized” cameras into the committee room, the Dems can have the Sergeant at Arms throw them our, and have the
Capitol Police arrest them. Dreier and company wouldn’t go to jail, but the camera and tech people would. Right now, the Republicans have to play by the Dem’s rules, so Dreier is doing the only thing he can, which is call them out on it and make them look bad. This is why we HAVE to take back Congress.
I have faith my state will nullify Obamacare.
"Virginia first state to challenge federal health insurance mandate
"By: Barbara Hollingsworth
"Congress hasn’t even passed Obamacare yet, but if and when it does, Virginia’s General Assembly has already fired the first round in what could be a major legal showdown with Washington over the limits of federal power. On Thursday, the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere became the first state to enact legislation that prohibits the federal government from forcing its citizens to purchase government-approved health insurance. The measure was sponsored by two Northern Virginians - State Senator Jill Vogel, R-Warrenton, and Del. Bob Marshall, R-Manassas - who also co-signed a Feb. 24 letter to President Obama protesting state legislators’ exclusion from his recent health care summit.
"In an ominous sign for the president’s top domestic priority, five Democrats in the Virginia Senate joined 18 Republicans to vote for the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act in a state Obama won handily less than 18 months ago. They were, perhaps, influenced by the 2,400 grassroots activists who trekked to Richmond last month to oppose federally mandated insurance coverage.
"A constitutional amendment passed earlier in Arizona, but has yet to be approved by voters. It will be on the ballot in November. Legislators in more than 30 other states are also considering similar bills based on the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Freedom of Choice in Health Care model.
"The Tenth Amendment Center has a map of pending health care "nullification" bills that challenge the federal government’s jurisdiction based on its reading of the Constitution.
"So even if Obamacare passes, this brewing constitutional battle could delay enactment for quite some time.
Today we should concentrate on this, show the people that the Federal Government CANNOT rule our lives contrary to our wishes.
The overwhelming majority of America does NOT want Obamacare, our elected officials have turned a blind eye and ear to us, they are being threatened to pass this bill, we must stand firm and pressure our own states to pass this very same bill.
If not I am sure there will be a lot of U-Hauls on the road soon.
Sorry, but tyrants and dictators don’t do well in front of cameras. At least NOT if they can’t CONTROL the flow of events!!
Nothing needs to be installed. Every Republican in the room should bring in a video-equipped cell phone and record the proceedings themselves. Dare the Democrats to throw them out.
As I explained above, they can’t. The Republicans aren’t Code Pink. And if the Democrats would lock them out of a committee room, they would have no problem ejecting them and having them arrested.
Not that I believe that any of the Republicans could actually operate a cell-phone camera, but I think the effort would be worth it, to demonstrate the level of thuggery on the Dem side.
A Gandhi technique.
I read somewhere that one purpose of this new law is to allow the state AG’s office to represent Virginia residents who want to challenge the federal law (assuming it passes). That way they wouldn’t have to incur any legal fees to do so.
I hope this is correct. I like the idea.
These nullification arguments are wishful thinking. They will be dealt with via the supremacy clause of the Constitution. Artcle 6, clause 2.
here’s a link.
http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/s105.htm
Dis he repeat his statement from yesterday that this thing will pass and that there is nothing that they can do to stop it?
LLS
I think maybe it’s time for the Repub members to man the cameras and take the rap. If the Dems want to jettison House rules — not to mention constitutional government — the Repubs need to fight fire with fire. Faint heart never won fair maiden (or in this case “won out over atrophied hag”).
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
The supremacy clause of the Constitution would be null and void if the Supreme Court found the underlying federal law to be unconstitutional.
IMHO
Can’t a congressman sneak a camera in there (lapel pin or something)? Or would that be a felony, or something that would be jailable?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.