Prediction Thread: Midterm Elections: How will they go and what do you think will happen after?

[Jon Miller]

Speakers lead the House. Who else would you suggest lead the House in our system of government, the President? But they could be a different party than the House...

JM

[Berzerker]

Sec. 1 . Role of Speaker The Speaker is the presiding officer of the House and is charged with numerous duties and responsibilities by law and by the House rules. As the presiding officer of the House, the Speaker maintains order, manages its proceedings, and governs the administration of its business. Manual Sec. 622; Deschler Ch 6 Sec. Sec. 2-8. The major functions of the Speaker with respect to the consideration of measures on the floor include recognizing Members who seek to address the House (Manual Sec. 949), construing and applying the House rules (Manual Sec. 627), and putting the question on matters arising on the floor to a vote (Manual Sec. 630). The Speaker's role as presiding officer is an impartial one, and his rulings serve to protect the rights of the minority. 88-1, June 4, 1963, pp 10151-65. In seeking to protect the interests of the minority, he has even asked unanimous consent that an order of the House be vacated where the circumstances so required. 89-1, May 18, 1965, p 10871.

The speaker is not impartial and does not protect the rights of the minority but the important part is the speaker is supposed to be a regulator of business, not a gateway. Putting matters arising on the floor to a vote means the members decide what is voted on, the speaker acts as an impartial moderator for the debate, not a partisan fundraising tyrant who punishes members for stepping out of line. Just seems so antidemocratic, one person deciding what gets voted on. I think members should have a process that protects the rights of the minority by letting members propose legislation that can gather support to meet a certain threshold without a speaker interfering with sticks and carrots.