BS: US speaker of the house does what?

Subject: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: gnu
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 08:12 PM

Uneducated Canuck here. Sorry, but, I never really followed this before. I just thought it was kinda fucked up. I mean, them southerners just seemed to have no control over their government and I thought it was kinda odd but what do I know eh?

To wit... I just watched an interview with the new "speaker". He said things like... " I am going to...", "We are going to..."

Is he the "leader of the opposition"? Does he hold legislative power? How does he get to say these things? I will... we will... Does the president of the US lead or does he have to fight with a minion while he tries to do his job?

Yes... I know it may sound quite trite, but, seriously, WTF? Is that how it works down south? The speaker gets to make legislation equally with the president? (Again... I am just a good old boy from East Overshoe New Brunswick.)

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Wesley S
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 08:35 PM

From Wikipedia:

The Speaker is second in the United States presidential line of succession, after the Vice President and before the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate.[3] Unlike in some Westminster System parliaments, the Speaker is a leadership position in the majority party and actively works to set that party's legislative agenda, therefore endowing the office with considerable power. The Speaker does not usually personally preside over debates, instead delegating the duty to other members of Congress of the same political party.[4] Aside from duties relating to heading the House and the majority political party, the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and represents his or her congressional district.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: pdq
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 08:53 PM

Actually, the president cannot enact any legislation at all. He can issue "executive orders" but that is often considered unethical if the matter can be easily resolved in the legislature.

The president can have a agenda but nobody in the legislative branch has to pay attention to him if they don't want to.

The legislative branch has sole power to tax, declare war and make laws. The Speaker of the House is powerful, to say the least.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:14 PM

The legislative branch has sole power to tax, declare war and make laws."


"While technically the President cannot declare war without Congress, under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the President can send troops into combat as long as he informs Congress within 48 hours of doing so . Then he has 60 days and then another 30 days for withdrawal before he has to get Congressional approval or a formal declaration of war."

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_the_President_declare_war_without_Congress#ixzz17xCo59vm

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:45 PM

The President can also have a say in what gets enacted through use of Signing Statements.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: gnu
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:48 PM

Gee whiz. I really should have boned up on all this years ago. It sounds fascinating in a way... and kinda scarey... and kinda... well, nevermind.

I never really knew of the "speaker" having such power and influence in legislation down south. Perhaps my arrogance regarding my lauding of the British parliamentry system is reviewable? Could the US system be "better at getting things done"? I always thought the Brit system got things done... eventually, of course, but got things done.

So, what pluses and minuses am I missing out on?

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: artbrooks
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 09:48 PM

Fact is, the Republicans (Mr. Boener) will control the House. The Democrats still have a majority in the Senate - although events of the last year have proven that a majority doesn't mean that they can pass anything that they want to, they can still prevent the Republicans in the Senate from going along with Mr. Boener's agenda.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 10:21 PM

"Could the US system be "better at getting things done"?"

Relieving the tax burden on the well deserving rich, screwing the poor out of humane help, ..

Yep! much "better" ...

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: kendall
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 07:52 AM

Didn't Thomas Jefferson send a fleet to whip the Barbary Pirates in 1805?

I wonder if we taxpayers will have to pay for his Kleenex tissues?

I have a name for him that I hope sticks, John the bawler Boner.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Bobert
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 08:05 AM

Most legislation originates in the House or Representatives and that which passes is sent off to the Senate to die a slow death... Or not...

So the Speaker of the House is very powerful and the Speaker controls the House agenda so...

...like it or not we have John "Crybaby" Bonehead getting ready to the be one calling those shots so...

...if the executive branch, i.e. Obama, wants anything accomplished he's gonna have to dance with the Crybaby...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 08:29 AM

Could the US system be "better at getting things done"?

It depends. The Constitution actually says almost nothing as to how Congress goes about the legislative process. The committee meetings, filibusters, majority and minority leaders, etc. we hear so much about on the news are simply procedural traditions. They're not in the Constitution. If they exist in written form at all it's in a rulebook, not as a set of laws.

How good a job Congress is able to do at "getting things done" is often a matter of how well its procedural rules work. Sometimes they work smoothly, sometimes they cause problems. They can be very undemocratic, channeling excess power to an elite few. I'm sure that if the framers of the Constitution could see today's system at work, they'd go back and stipulate a few more guidelines.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Wesley S
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 09:16 AM

I've got no problem at all with the fact that he cries at the drop of a hat. There's nothing wrong with a politician being human. And it doesn't make him less of a man in my eyes. What I will have a problem with is some of the legislation he tries to get passed. And the other bills he stops dead in the water.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Bobert
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:03 AM

I don't mind a guy cryin' either, Wesley... What I have is a problem with a guy cryin' because he wants all the children to have an equal opportunity to be successful but refuses to pass anything in the way of meaningful legislation that would create those opportunities...

I mean, let's get real here... If he cared so much for people then he'd quit the cryin' and put his money where his tears are...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:26 AM

One of the Constitutional limits on the Congress is that any legislation relating to taxation or authorization for spending must "originate in the House of Representatives."

Quite naturally, this provision is subject to considerable manipulation via a couple of centuries of politics. In most cases bills are introduced, and "considered" nearly simulataneously in both Houses, although it's not strictly legal for the Senate version to be introduced ahead of the House introduction, although often a Senate "money bill" gets passed (or killed) before the House finishes their action on it.

Since by "House Rules" the Speaker of the House gets to select which bills are moved up for debate and ultimately for a vote in the House, (s)he has immense control over what gets done.

Moving a "controversial" issue up can completely stall House action on anything else about as effectively as the "Fillibuster" rule in the Senate, and virtually nothing can be considered in the House without approval from the "Speaker." Blocking action on something necessary by scheduling a controversial issue with no chance of passage is the House version of the extortion that the Senate accomplishes by the Fillibuster rule.

(Just an opinion, of course.)

John

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: kendall
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 07:31 PM

I've been moved to tears myself but not time and time again about nothing.Can you imagine what our enemies think of that?

I remember years ago when Ed Muskie was running for VP, he was exhausted and the editor of the newspaper,The Union Leader, Loeb was his name, was saying nasty things about Eds wife. Ed went there to talk to him but the damned coward wouldn't come out of his hole. Muskie was furious and overcome with wanting to kick that asshole's ass. Republicans accused him of crying. He was not crying. We were not bosom buddies but I knew him well enough to know he was a real man with a temper.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 09:37 PM

Pay NO attention to what they SAY..only what they DO!

Both sides are representing only those who greases them the best.

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: Beer
Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:57 PM

I'm not commenting because I'm learning from you folks. This is a great thread and thank you Gnu for starting it. I am also fascinated in the way you folks are explaining how things are run in the U.S.House.
Ad.

Subject: RE: BS: US speaker of the house does what?
From: GUEST,Tannywheeler
Date: 14 Dec 10 - 04:18 PM

Look at the word: PRESIDENT. He's the 1 who PRESIDES. Not king, not emperor, not dictator, not boss... He's supposed to goose the action along, making sure we hear from everyone who has any info/ideas about topic under consideration, not be the 1 in CHARGE of what gets done. 1 of his titles is Commander-in chief of the military contingent, so, in case of an emergency('member Pearl Harbor?) he can start the ball rolling, but has to be backed up by Congress. & it doesn't always work well. (Everyone say, "Welcome to the club"...) Tw