Gingrich and Scarborough criticize self-executing rule, but in Congress they both used it

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/research/201003160042

Gingrich and Scarborough criticize self-executing rule, but in Congress they used it
March 16, 2010 5:30 pm ET

<snip>When Republicans took power in 1995, they soon lost their aversion to self-executing rules and proceeded to set new records under Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). There were 38 and 52 self-executing rules in the 104th and 105th Congresses (1995-1998), making up 25 percent and 35 percent of all rules, respectively. Under Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) there were 40, 42 and 30 self-executing rules in the 106th, 107th and 108th Congresses (22 percent, 37 percent and 22 percent, respectively). Thus far in the 109th Congress, self-executing rules make up about 16 percent of all rules.

On April 26 <2006>, the Rules Committee served up the mother of all self-executing rules for the lobby/ethics reform bill. The committee hit the trifecta with not one, not two, but three self-executing provisions in the same special rule.

Scarborough voted for self-executing rule as a congressman

Scarborough voted for H.R. 384. The Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives documented Joe Scarborough's vote in favor of H.R. 384 on March 19, 1996. A 2006 Congressional Research Service report included this as an example of a self-executing rule:

On March 19, 1996, the House adopted a rule (H.Res. 384) that incorporated a voluntary employee verification program -- addressing the employment of illegal immigrants - into a committee substitute made in order as original text.

Self-executing rule is accepted part of House procedure

[twitomy]

1. While this may have been used

for relatively minor issues, there is no way in hell it should be used on such a large,controversial piece of legislatin that will affect EVERYONE. Whats the point of having representation if they pull of this kind of stunt? To hell with what our duly elected Reps, we are going to shove this down your throats. Wow we are turning into a banana republic. Im sure there are at least 5 SC justices who would just love to take on the constitutionality of this move.