Rantz: Washington Democrats change 132-year-old rule so they can stop Republicans from debating bills

Washington Democrats changed a 132-year-old House rule that guaranteed a free and open debate on the floor. Now, in the House, Democrats have complete and total control to stop any debate before House Republicans even speak.

In a party-line vote, Democrats lowered the supermajority threshold to end debate on a bill to just the majority, which Democrats have. They conducted the vote on a Friday to avoid media coverage of this deeply concerning move.

The supermajority rule was intended to force lawmakers to actually debate controversial bills, allowing members three minutes to speak. However, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon defended the change by claiming that Republicans “filibuster” bills that have total Democratic support. The problem with his claim? There is no filibuster mechanism in the House.

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Why did Democrats change a rule to stop Republicans from debating bills?

The move by Washington Democrats was expressly intended to stifle debate. But the majority claims they value open an honest debate.

“It is very important that we have robust debates on this floor,” Fitzgibbon claimed. “And we have, and we will.”

Except they no longer have to because Fitzgibbon, along with his Democrat colleagues, gets bored of sitting through speeches they disagree with when they know they have the vote to pass legislation. They complain that House Republicans use their three minutes to sometimes reiterate points previously made.

“I don’t think that we should have endless speeches, particularly speeches that are restating points that are already made, only to serve the goal of slowing something down to make it past a deadline after which a proposal can no longer be considered,” Fitzgibbon claimed, again repeating the false complaint that speeches can be “endless.”

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House Republicans plot response

Washington Republicans are upset and concerned. House Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary said it was “news to Republicans” that they filibustered since it doesn’t exist in the Washington State House.

“There is no mechanism whatsoever for the minority to block the will of the majority,” Stokesbary explained on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “If there were, trust me, we’d have used it extensively. But there just isn’t. The majority can decide when to start session, when to end session, what bills to come to the floor, what bills to amend, what bills not to amend, what bills to pass, what bills not to pass. A minority cannot stand in the way of any of that.”

Stokesbary said the caucus is now “looking at options” on what legislative maneuvers they have available, though he acknowledged they have “somewhat limited procedural tools” since they’re in the minority.

“Democrats broke a 132-year-old tradition because they’re embarrassed that they keep getting outwitted by a smaller number of Republicans, and we’re not going to let them change that without paying the price,” he said.

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This is about Democrats wanting to stifle debate

Washington Democrats aren’t preventing Republicans from “restating points that are already made.” They’re preventing House members from speaking on behalf of their constituencies on the floor. As bad, they’re depriving millions of Washingtonians the right to hear from their House member on the floor.

What are Democrats truly scared about? They don’t want effective speakers to argue against their radical bills because it will generate media coverage and political pressure.

When a House member from Yakima speaks, it likely gets coverage in The Yakima Herald-Republic or on KIMA-TV. That same lawmaker doesn’t get the same level of coverage — or any at all — in the Seattle Times or on KIRO TV. But it could be that lawmaker that breaks through to voters. Democrats are ensuring that won’t happen.

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