Under New Management
Four new House rules, now in place under the new management at the direction of Speaker Boehner, strike me as a really decent start. From today's NYTimes:
Mr. Boehner seeks to do away with large omnibus spending bills, preferring to break them into smaller bills, and to allow for more amendments on bills generally, and more extensive debate.
Members offering bills for new programs will have to explain how they will pay for them, not by raising new revenues but by finding other ways to cut costs. Each bill introduced will also have to cite the specific constitutional authority for its contents.
For the first time under the House rules, all bills will be required to be placed online. Committees will post their rules and their votes, as well as information about testifying witnesses in an effort to make public any conflicts of interest.
In an unusual grab of budgetary power, the incoming chairman of the House Budget Committee will be able to unilaterally set limits for categories of domestic spending until a budget resolution is passed this spring, as a budget enforcement measure.
I'm suspending my cynical pessimism on all of these, for the time being. Right now, I'm allowing myself to think that if any of these rules stick, we might be on the way back. And the thought of that...well, maybe I'm the one that should be crying tears of joy, not John Boehner.
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Re: Under New Management
Being "on the way back" is a consummation devoutly to be wished.
Jul '10
Re: Under New Management
"For the first time under the House rules, all bills will be required to be placed online."
I'm sure there will be a subscription price in order to read it.
Edited on Jan 5, 2011 at 10:33amSep '10
Re: Under New Management
I relish the fact that after four years of Pelosi's "most ethical Congress ever," and two years after the start of Obama's "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency," it took a Republican-led House to actually deliver.
Jul '10
Re: Under New Management
So long as the GOP leadership in the House is determined to institute the types of reforms the voters obviously demand, I think there's a very good chance of them making it happen.
The House isn't like the Senate, where a small group of RINO Senators can frustrate any effort at reform. And any GOP Representative who might consider going off the reservation is now firmly on notice that he'll be opening himself up to a strong primary challenge.
One would wish, of course,a Congressman's fidelity to conservative reform would be motivated by principle. But when principle does not suffice, fear will serve just as well.
Oct '10
Re: Under New Management
Rob--Check out the New York Times editorial concerning the Republicans taking over the House. This whining screed included some of the most snarky and mean-spirited commentary that only Frank Rich could have written after a night's sleep on a bed of nails. My favorite line:
"Is this group of Republicans really trying to suggest that they care more deeply about the Constitution than anyone else and will follow it more closely?"
Yes, New York Times. They do care more deeply about the founding documents of this great nation than the left wing corrupticrats and so-called journalists.
Re: Under New Management
Jimmy Carter: "For the first time under the House rules, all bills will be required to be placed online."
I'm sure there will be a subscription price in order to read it. · Jan 5 at 10:25am
Edited on Jan 05 at 10:33 am
No, but it will cost $3.47 a month to introduce amendments.