No Speaker in the NC House, Day 2

Raleigh News-Observer ^ | 1-30-2003 | LYNN BONNER, AMY GARDNER, AND DAN KANE

[fieldmarshaldj]

These are the shenanigans as of this morning, will see how the afternoon goes...

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[BillyBoy]

>> The last time it took more than one ballot to elect a speaker was in 1866 <<

DemocRAT translation: It was so much easier to do this from 1870-1960 when we had a corrupt one-party dictatorship in NC.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That dictatorship lasted until 1995...

[fieldmarshaldj]

...and resumed again in 1999.

[mykdsmom]

NC Ping.

I actually think this is a good thing, they can't do any damage or raise taxes any more while they are tied up in this mess.

What I'd like to know is why do they have an even number of house members anyway?

MKM

[DeFault User]

A majority of the House is needed to elect the speaker. With all 120 House members in attendance, a majority would be 61 votes.

Let me know if I've got this straight. If one member from one party or the other is out for the day, the other party can then vote as the majority and elect the Speaker. Except if the Republicans have 5 dissidents voting for someone else, 6 Dims have got to be out for the Republicans to elect the Speaker? The Pubbies better get their act together before another member gets in a traffic jam or can't get out of his bathrobe.

Looks like the odds favor the Dims.

[OldFriend]

Let me know if they are there so long they have to use the wastebaskets to relieve themselves.

[ambrose]

In California, an absolute majority of all currently serving members is required to pass anything. With 80 elected members in the assembly, it'd still take 41 votes to elect the Speaker, even if 20 members were absent. This makes much more sense than what we're seeing in NC.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Ah, so you want the Steve Windom ping, huh ? :-)

[defeat_the_dem_igods]

Studying the Speaker Squabble

Daily Journal for January 30, 2003

By JOHN HOOD

"As recently as September, Decker told Winston-Salem radio station WSJS-AM that Speaker Black was a poor leader who had led the House into chaos and had helped lead the state into fiscal meltdown. Now, the 18-year veteran says that Black is the best man for the job. Perhaps that is debatable. It is obvious, however, who is not up to his job."

entire article

[Windom Earle]

NCGOP is watching Allred and a few others.

There were 5 members who refused to sign a pledge to support only GOP candidates for Speaker. Allred was one of them, although I believe he did end up voting for Holmes on Tuesday. He did receive a load of phone calls and mail/e-mail from all over the state.

The problem with the 5 who are voting for Morgan is coming from Brubaker and Morgan.

WE

[Constitution Day]

I can't believe this is STILL going on.
Keep me posted; I will keep checking from CPAC.

[TechJunkYard]

I can't believe this is STILL going on.

Really. What do ya suppose are the chances of any decent legislation coming out of this session, if they're still knocking heads over the election of the speaker?

[ForOurFuture]

I assume the vote is anonymous?

[fieldmarshaldj]

I would presume not, this is a public vote. Were it private, it might be even more chaotic.

[Lancey Howard]

A couple of questions:

1. Did anybody find out what dirt the scumbag Democrats have on this guy Decker? Is he a pedophile?

2. What's the deal with the five "dissident" Republicans? Is it ideological? Is Morgan a true conservative while Holmes is some kind of scumbag "moderate"? The other way around? What do these five have against Holmes?

Thanks!
LH

[fieldmarshaldj]

I will NOT proclaim to be an expert on this subject, but from what I've heard, Judas Decker's switch was SUPPOSEDLY one having to do with panic on redistricting (which will have to be dealt with in this session) and a personal animus towards GOP leader Leo Daughtry. The other 5 apparently are refusing to back Holmes because he's "Daughtry's choice." These 5 need to GROW UP !

[KQQL]

What a mess.....