Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Speaker Pelosi, end government-by-secret-caucus

"Daily phone calls are held in secret with the Democratic caucus, and representatives press “star 3” to request a chance to speak. Some committees have similar one-party meetings, while others include Republicans — none of it in public. A single-caucus meeting in private was never meant to be the Congress of the United States."

The Hill  "Our Constitution set up three branches of government. And yet, in this crisis, only two branches are fully operational. In particular, the House of Representatives is no longer functioning as a legislative body at all but as an executive committee run by just one representative: the Speaker of the House. There are no open debates, no televised committee hearings, no minority rights. “The People’s House” is not open to the people. 
"Somehow, the executive branch managed to keep the White House open — from the Office of the President to the Situation Room, from the Department of Justice to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they are all fully operational; some people even complain they see too much of the president with his coronavirus task force daily briefings for hours on end. There is no doubt, however, that the executive branch is open for business 24/7. It has put in place all the protocols and procedures to operate safely and to keep the country safe at the same time from others who would seek to take advantage of a vulnerable nation going through a pandemic.
"Over at the Supreme Court, the justices were faced with some tough choices, and they decided that they would continue to carry out their full responsibilities. Until further notice, oral arguments are being conducted by phone so that the cases before the court will continue to move forward. For the first time in history, the public will be able to listen to Supreme Court arguments live, without any delay. Despite the advanced age of some of the justices, they have figured out how to adapt and to stay open for business." . . .
Mark Penn is a managing partner of the Stagwell Group, a global organization of digital-first marketing companies, as well as chairman of the Harris Poll and author of “Microtrends Squared.” He also is CEO of MDC Partners, an advertising and marketing firm. He served as pollster and adviser to former President Clinton from 1995 to 2000, including during Clinton’s impeachment.
From a comment to this post: 
I suggest that the Dem reps meet in Nancy Antoinette's double-wide freezer. If we lock them in there, not only will that create some of the largest Tutti-Fruiti popsicles and fudgesicles ever, but would also save the country. 

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