Senate’s Catch 22

November 27, 2013 04:00
Senate’s Catch 22

Obama and Senate Democrats have won, but America has lost.

 

By Dr. Charles W. Dunn

 

What would the Senate be like without the filibuster? It would be a more efficient body, but efficiency has never been a hallmark of democracy.

Reflecting on Senate Rule 22, the so-called cloture rule that allows for filibusters, former Senate parliamentarian Floyd M. Riddick dramatically stated its importance when he said, “Coming from the House to the Senate, it is like going from prison to freedom. . . . I’m talking about the freedom of time to develop what you are trying to get over. . . . I just can’t imagine debates in the Roman Senate ever being developed under the House procedures.”

What would America be like without the filibuster? That’s the vital question. William F. Hildenbrand, former secretary of the U.S. Senate, said the filibuster is “the one way a bad bill can be stopped. It is a way of calling public attention to a bill. . . . Without it, the . . . [minority] here would be steamrolled. If you ever take away the filibuster, I think the people would be the losers.”

Conservatives and liberals have benefited from the filibuster. Conservative Strom Thurmond of South Carolina talked for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Liberal Wayne Morse of Oregon talked for 22 hours and 26 minutes against the Tidelands oil bill of 1953. In the short run they appeared to thwart majority rule. But in the end the Senate passed and the public accepted changes on these controversial social and economic issues.

And more recently Texas Senator Ted Cruz’ filibuster of 21 hours and 19 minutes in opposition to Obamacare not only foreshadowed overwhelming popular opposition to the Affordable Care Act, but also demonstrated that Democrats should never have passed that legislation in the first place without Republican support.

Just because the majority can impose its will does not mean that it should.

Assembly-line speed is not necessarily a virtue when applied to the government-incompetent-unreliable-untrustworthy-300x224resolution of serious social and economic problems. Persons obsessed with productivity often fail to recognize that the legislative process is designed not just to produce results but also to insure that the results are the best possible.

In a democracy issues are supposed to be thoroughly debated so that voters can make intelligent decisions based on the best data available. Research to get the facts, debate to determine the alternatives, and compromise to achieve agreement on issues require a good deal of time.

Senate Rule 22 is a rational way not only to maintain America’s legislative system, but also to enhance society’s acceptance of legislative decisions. By deliberating at length on legislation, the Senate performs the useful function of gradually educating and preparing people for change.

One has only to imagine what could have happened had there not been extensive debates about civil rights prior to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Debate and deliberation help cushion the impact of change, and aid in stabilizing American society with its diversity of volatile interests.

In modifying Senate Rule 22 to allow a simple majority to confirm most presidential nominations, Democrats have opened the door to further modifications, namely allowing a simple majority to act on Supreme Court nominations and legislation.

Obama_bill_of_rightsBut even the present modification poses two serious problems. First, it strengthens executive power at a time when Americans have grown weary of its excesses. Second, it enables the president to pursue a narrow ideological agenda in making his nominations.

To illustrate, the president can now nominate judges far to the left of the American mainstream, which will enable him to more easily secure judicial support for his policies in critical judicial tests, especially before America’s most important appellate court, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

President Obama and Senate Democrats have won, but America has lost.
Dr. Charles W. Dunn is author and editor of 21 books on American politics, chairman emeritus of the U.S. J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and a founder of, and contributing scholar to, The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Also please consider:

Why Don’t We Hear More About World Freedom Day?

Grand Theft Obama: Biggest Heist in History

Winds of Change

I Am Now a Dissident (and You Should Be, Too!)

The Threat We Face

What Will It Take?

9/12 – the Manhattan attack that gave us Obama

Government’s Unconstitutional Grants of Nobility

The Obama Agenda and the New Global Elite

Our Imperial President’s Disregard of the Law

Recap of O’s Liars, Lies and Damn Lies

America Waking Up to Scandalous, Lying O’ministration

Is This Country Different? Will the Big Bang Be a Shock?

Government Never Has, and Never Will, Create Progress

A Message from Lord Vader

Is Government Lying About Inflation? Yes!

Wake Up, Gulliver: The Lilliputians Are Almost Done

Don’t Cry For Me, America: Comparing Argentina’s Fascist Perón to Obama

America Waking Up to Scandalous, Lying O’ministration

Mark Levin: Obama is a Marxist

The Ferengi Are Running Washington

Has Obama Already Bankrupted America?

The Corruption of America

The Progressive’s Foundation of Lies

The Chicagoization of America

Power Mad Obama Offers Unconditional Surrender Or Default

Our Shameful President’s Thugocracy

Obama Presidency A Lengthening Legacy Of Lawlessness

Obama is the most corrupt, power-mad president in history

Obama’s Arrogant Tyranny

Indoctrination is Working – How 9th Graders View Govt.

“Terminal State of Broken”

Weather Underground’s Victory Over America: Obama

Why “Progressives” (Like Hillary) Are Not Progressive

Government Never Has, and Never Will, Create Progress

Don’t Cry For Me, America: Comparing Argentina’s Fascist Perón to Obama

Why Things Will Get Worse — Much Worse

No Economic Growth Except from Higher Deficits

Full Time Employment Down 5 Million – No Full Time Job Growth in Obama “Recovery” Except Govt

The Self-Imposed Slavery of the Redistribution State

“Welcome to Sustainable City”

Obama’s Redistribution Is Working As Government Handouts Reach All Time High

A Nation of Government Dependents?

A timely reminder: Marxism in America

Obama’s America: One Big, Gigantic Soup Kitchen

Obama’s Civilian Soldiers

Yes he is the food stamp president! And the hand out president

Big Lie Repeated Often Gets Obamacare Passed & On the Road to Socialized Medicine

Now Is a Time for Commitment

America’s Communist President

Obama’s “Fairness” is Pure Communism

Socialism Breeds Tyranny and Disparity

Crony capitalism is failing; let’s try the real thing

Obama’s Arrogant Tyranny

Educator Warns of Public School Socialist Agenda in Recently Released Book

EPA makes grants for leftist “social justice” propaganda

Obama is the most corrupt, power-mad president in history

The Ant and The Grasshopper — An Allegory For The Country



Help Make A Difference By Sharing These Articles On Facebook, Twitter And Elsewhere: