Re(1): The Washington Gridlock Posted on 11/2/2018 at 15:24:51 by Bill Crawford, (14)
I just recalled another thing that would add to the gridlock in Washington, if the Democrats should win the House in the upcoming Mid-Terms-- the Hastert Rule.
Even if the Senate Republicans could bring up and pass a bill with a sixty vote majority, under the Hastert rule a Democratic House Speaker could prevent such a bill from even coming up for consideration in the House.
Here is what Wikipedia says about the Hastert Rule:
"..Under House rules, the Speaker schedules floor votes on pending legislation. The Hastert Rule says that the Speaker will not schedule a floor vote on any bill that does not have majority support within his or her party — even if the majority of the members of the House as a whole would vote to pass it. The rule keeps the minority party from passing bills with the assistance of a minority of majority party members. .."
[I've read elsewhere, however, that the Hastert Rule is an "informal" rule, and that the House Speaker can ignore it if he or she so chooses]. Replies: There have been no replies.
