U.S. Senate: Up-or-Down Vote and Majority Rules for Pres Appointees

Village Voice - January, 20 2010

On January, 20 2010 Roy Edroso wrote a piece in the Village Voice under the headline:

Scott Brown Wins Mass. Race, Giving GOP 41-59 Majority in the Senate

Edroso was right because the U.S. Senate makes its own ridiculous rules under Article 1, Section 5 of Constitution and the minority of 41 senators did have power to defeat the will of the 59 senators.

It's like a City Council meeting voting on a resolution: Resolution has nine Ayes, and two Nyes; resolution is defeated.

The rules are idiotic, something you might find in some far-away, corrupt regime without an appreciation for democratic values.

No appreciation for democratic values, yes, it's around.

One does not have to look too far: Look at Washington D.C., our nation's capitol, where the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House comprise the legislative branch.

Throw in a crazy political party, the Republicans, into the mix and catastrophe is guaranteed.

Yesterday, Harry Reid and Democratic senators decided that executive branch appointees and nominees for federal judgeships can now get an Up-or-Down vote, and if an appointee gets the most votes of sitting senators, she has won confirmation.

Legislation and nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court still face filibusters in the Senate.

Roy Edroso should write a new piece: U.S. Senate Still World's Most Dumbfounded Body.