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Republicans plan sweeping rules changes in new Congress

Whovian

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I think this is an outstanding start to changing how things are done in DC. I look forward to hearing the Democratic ideas for new House rules as well. Maybe they can expand on the start the GOP is trying to make.

Republicans plan sweeping rules changes in new Congress - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com

The House GOP transition team today released the highlights of proposed rules they hope will govern the new Congress. The rules package will be considered by the full House on Jan. 5, the chamber's first day of business. Democrats will have the chance to offer their own rules.

But there are broad changes in the way the House will operate. They include:

•Putting attendance records for committee hearings online within 24 hours.
•Requiring spending increases to be offset by equal or greater cuts elsewhere in the budget. Tax increases could not be used to pay for the new spending.
•Committee chairmen would have to provide three days notice before considering legislation and would be required to post committee votes online within 48 hours.

"These reforms represent Republicans' first step ... to change the way Washington works and address the people's priorities -- creating jobs and cutting spending," incoming House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement.

The package also reinstates a six-year limit on the tenure of committee chairmen, changes the names of several committees and allows for the entire Constitution to be read aloud on the House floor on Jan. 6 -- the second day of the new Congress.
 
•Requiring spending increases to be offset by equal or greater cuts elsewhere in the budget. Tax increases could not be used to pay for the new spending.

The first thing the GOP needs to do is bring in a high school economics teacher to inform them that a budget has two sides and either can be modified as needed. Or they can save the money and just look it up online. Either way, it should be a light bulb moment for them.

and allows for the entire Constitution to be read aloud on the House floor on Jan. 6 -- the second day of the new Congress.

excellent idea as many of us were worried that our copies were incomplete somehow...... right. Talk about your empty symbolic gestures.
 
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The first thing the GOP needs to do is bring in a high school economics teacher to inform them that a budget has two sides and either can be modified as needed. Or they can save the money and just look it up online. Either way, it should be a light bulb moment for them.



excellent idea as many of us were worried that our copies were incomplete somehow...... right. Talk about your empty symbolic gestures.

Kind of like the election of Barack Obama.
 
Seems to have been working fine for the past couple of years....Now I guess we can go back to it being out of bounds.

Im sorry was there a point to that post?
 
I think this is an outstanding start to changing how things are done in DC. I look forward to hearing the Democratic ideas for new House rules as well. Maybe they can expand on the start the GOP is trying to make.

Republicans plan sweeping rules changes in new Congress - On Politics: Covering the US Congress, Governors, and the 2010 Election - USATODAY.com

OMG. Can it be that the Republicans have had a Come to Jesus Moment?? One can hope!! Also this:

Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) said that in the 112th Congress he will consider a spending-cutting measure each week, starting with the budgets of congressional offices.

Boehner, appearing Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," said he's going to cut his and all other House leadership budgets, in addition to committee budgets and members' allowances all by 5 percent, resulting in savings of between $25 million and $30 million.

"It likely would be one of the first votes we cast," he said.

And for those cynics who say that $25-$30 million is nothing, just shut up.
 
And for those cynics who say that $25-$30 million is nothing, just shut up.

I know. I've seen people on boths sides in here and on other forums whine like little girls that $25 million here, or $47 million there... or even a few billion... doesn't matter, considering the size of the financial hole we are in. My contention has always been that you cut when ever and where ever you can, and it will all add up.
 
The rule changes I want to see are as follows.

1. Term limits of 12 years for both Houses.

2. Benefit packages equal to but not to exceed those of an Army Pfc.

3. All pay in Both houses to be equal to but not exceed that of an Army Major, the President would receive the pay of a 4 Star General.

4. SSI to be turned over to or sold to private industry with strict rules that include all members of both houses.

5. All gifts from lobbyists that exceed lunch cost are banned.

6. Congress should meet no more than 2, 3 month periods, Jan. thru Mar. and then July thru Sept. Unless there is an emergency.

7. No bill should contain more then 20 pages be written in plain English and no attachments are permitted.

8. At any time a petition containing 1,000,000 signatures can force a no confidence vote of any elected official and force them from office, for any reason.

It's not perfect but it might be a starting point to save money.
 
I will believe the rule changes when I see it. Most likely they will stick those things into bills loaded with pork or some really unpopular issue so that they are doomed to fail and then the GOP can claim they tried.
 
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The rule changes I want to see are as follows.

1. Term limits of 12 years for both Houses.

2. Benefit packages equal to but not to exceed those of an Army Pfc.

3. All pay in Both houses to be equal to but not exceed that of an Army Major, the President would receive the pay of a 4 Star General.

4. SSI to be turned over to or sold to private industry with strict rules that include all members of both houses.

5. All gifts from lobbyists that exceed lunch cost are banned.

6. Congress should meet no more than 2, 3 month periods, Jan. thru Mar. and then July thru Sept. Unless there is an emergency.

7. No bill should contain more then 20 pages be written in plain English and no attachments are permitted.

8. At any time a petition containing 1,000,000 signatures can force a no confidence vote of any elected official and force them from office, for any reason.

It's not perfect but it might be a starting point to save money.

Hopefully, you've told your congressmen. I don't like #8, by the way. It would be too easy for a special interest group to behind-the-scenes finance such a move.
 
I will believe the rule changes when I see it. Most likely they will stick those things into bills loaded with pork or some really unpopular issue so that they are doomed to fail and then the GOP can claim they tried.

They are proposed changes. They have to be voted and approved...and the Dems are free to offer their own rule changes for consideration.
 
Seems to have been working fine for the past couple of years....Now I guess we can go back to it being out of bounds.


j-mac

does this mean something in English rather than in rightwingspeak?
 
only to people who understand English, as opposed to leftwingspeak.

since you speak it, perhaps you can then explain?

I do get the feeling that much that is said here is merely for the fellow worshipers at the altar and is never intended for anyone else
 
“No new spending without equal or greater cuts in other spending” doesn't work when there's an emergency. And, of course, after a while everything starts to look like an emergency.
 
“No new spending without equal or greater cuts in other spending” doesn't work when there's an emergency. And, of course, after a while everything starts to look like an emergency.

Well we know what a liberal budget looks like. It looks like socialist ****, and we don't want anymore. Besides, as you know, we won the election as Obama would say. That means your agenda is out, and our agenda is in. Thank you for your concern.
 
funny how some people prefer to live in the past instead of today... go figure.

Yea, like 90% of the Republican party.. pushing the same old ideas that caused the financial melt down.. and sticking to gaybashing, and religious dogma.. talk about living in the past lol.
 
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