Yes, I’ve been a fan of the rule and tradition in United States Senate of a “governor” to slow down the legislative process in order to assure that policy and proposed legislation were thoroughly deliberated and enjoyed at least some bipartisan support.
That day is gone.
It is now a matter of priority.
Which is more sacred, Fellow American, an age-old, 60-vote requirement in the Senate to end debate or the Constitution?
I’ll opt for the Constitution.
For the judicious and everyone else, there’s no choice.
We swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not an antiquated rule of procedure. The filibuster jeopardizes the Constitution right here, right now and it’s time to say “bye-bye.”
Our Legislative branch is supposed to be the most powerful. It is, today, by far the weakest.
It has willfully, knowingly abdicated its role. It has gift-wrapped its duties and presented them to the Executive and Judicial branches.
The moment is at hand for our elected leadership to cease hiding and fulfill the duties assigned by the supreme law of the land. Come out, come out, wherever you are, Senators.
Without the filibuster, the Legislative branch can recover its rightful place and resume representing those who sent them. True, the filibuster rule served a purpose for quite a long time, but when it does more harm than good and alleviates one branch of government from relevancy, then there is no option but to let it go.
Thumbs will find new purpose; no more twiddling. Instead of waiting on the Judicial branch to decide if the Executive’s actions are Constitutional, our legislators can reacquaint themselves with their mandate and pass laws resolving the divisive issues we face.
Recess-time is over.
It’s time to shed the self-neutering governor. It is keeping the Senate, and therefore the entire Legislative branch, on the sidelines and threatens our Constitutional Republic.
Most of the Constitutionally divisive questions below can be answered now, definitively, with our Legislative Branch weighing in and without awaiting a Supreme Court ruling.
The power is in their hands and yet they opt to sit on them.
Check out those little pocket Constitutions many of you carry around. Here’s your guideline: Take a look at Article 1, Section 8, powers granted to the Legislative branch. Therein, and of course other areas of that little book, lies the solution.
- Does the President have the power to impose tariffs in the manner he has done?
- Does the President possess the authority to dispatch National Guard troops to Portland, Chicago or other cities?
- Does the President have the authority to kill alleged drug-cartel members without further due- process?
- Can the President unilaterally and permanently fire Executive employees?
- What controls of funding does a President have over federal grants or loans to universities?
- What powers does a President have in dispatch of ICE or Border Patrol to targeted cities invoking sanctuary status and that harbor undocumented immigrants?
- Does the Supreme Court have the ultimate say in interpreting the Voting Rights Act or can Congress clarify it?
- What powers do lower federal courts have to impose national injunctions?
- Should men be permitted in women’s sport? Is this a federal or state issue, and how should Title IX be interpreted?
These issues, among so many, can be debated and decided on here and now, with an engaged and fully functioning Legislative branch, as intended by the Framers.
Our elected can-and-must be held accountable now for stances they take and not allowed to stay out of frays and leave all to the Executive and Judicial branches to duke it out.
One may assert there is existing law that should answer all of the questions above.
There are laws, many old and interpreted differently in bygone eras. New legislation in each area will leave very little room, if any, for courts to misinterpret. It will stimy the courts ability to interpret as they wish, and in effect, legislate from the bench.
The time is now. It is all Constitutional. It’s the right thing to do.
We the People obtain the input to which we are entitled by demanding that our representatives do the job ordered by the Founders.
Jeff Utsch is a Faculty Lead at the Leadership and Freedom Center in Gettysburg, PA, and Co-Founder of Full Measure Leadership and Development. He can be reached at [email protected]
Soooooo,where were you when the Dems held the majorities in Congress,hmmm? What goes around comes around.
Just remember the consequences of this action. It goes both ways and we may get more than we bargained for by doing so.