Will Congress start to make their votes secret?

[Brian4Liberty]

The next step is fairly obvious. Will Congress start to make their votes secret?

In a major departure from procedure during Wednesday’s climactic vote on suspending the federal debt limit, the Senate kept some senators’ votes secret while the nearly hourlong tally was under way — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Capitol Hill reporters.

The stakes for Wednesday’s vote were as high as they come, with the full faith and credit of the United States, the political future of Republican leaders and another government shutdown showdown on the line.

On an average day, any C-SPAN viewer would know how senators voted in real time because votes are read aloud. (See our post on the six senators who appear to have changed their votes.)

But on Wednesday, the clerks did not name names. Instead of announcing the rolling vote tally as the vote went along on the critical motion to limit debate on the debt limit measure, senators were allowed to cast their votes in relative secrecy. Overlooked at the time, it has since caught the attention of numerous reporters.

After organizations representing journalists complained and a few hours after this story was published, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s spokesman Adam Jentleson gave CQ Roll Call a statement explaining the switch.

“After the vote began, it was quickly clear that Republican leaders were struggling to deliver enough votes to clear the 60-vote hurdle upon which they had insisted instead of a simple majority, and a potentially catastrophic default suddenly seemed possible. At Senate Republicans’ request, the clerk did not call the names during the vote to make it easier for Republican leaders to convince their members to switch their votes,” he said.
...
Much more:
http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/senators-votes-kept-secret-during-debt-limit-tally-reporters-protest/

 

[Christian Liberty]

If they ever do that, I will not vote for anyone, ever.

 

[Philhelm]

That would be a line in the sand; however, it would be interesting to hear the justification given by Fox and PMSNBC.

 

[DamianTV]

Sure they will. They already has "Secret Laws" that you dont even know if youre breaking or not. They have "Secret Prisons". Even their "Secrets" have "Secrets". But our Opinions are supposed to be Public Knowledge.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

That would be a line in the sand; however, it would be interesting to hear the justification given by Fox and PMSNBC.

"Required for the smooth operation of government."

 

[aGameOfThrones]

Better for prosperity.

 

[JK/SEA]

ban C-SPAN.

 

[ClydeCoulter]

Is anyone else having trouble keeping their blood pressure down?

 

[ChristianAnarchist]

A "government for the secrets by the secrets"...

 

[Root]

Is anyone else having trouble keeping their blood pressure down?

Yes.

 

[FindLiberty]

Is anyone else having trouble keeping their blood pressure down?

Maybe at first, been on this watch for 25+ years now and there's nothing new. (BTW, it's ~128/77)

I'm just amazed TS-has-not-HTF though, 'cause the frog water is already simmering...

 

[DamianTV]

Maybe at first, been on this watch for 25+ years now and there's nothing new. (BTW, it's ~128/77)

I'm just amazed TS-has-not-HTF though, 'cause the frog water is already simmering...

I think they just turned up the heat slow enough that the frog didnt notice.

 

[ClydeCoulter]

I think they just turned up the heat slow enough that the frog didnt notice.

I think some of the frogs are noticing.

 

[Carson]

Is anyone else having trouble keeping their blood pressure down?

If you do you can always remember this secret vote is about them raising debt limit again insuring we will continue being ripped off. Never any freedom.

And what is with this thread title? A thread about Congress secreting their vote entitled, "Will Congress start to make their votes secret?"

Barn door something, something.

 

[gwax23]

Parliament of Whores.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Parliament of Whores.

I'm a conservative Christian and even I think that's really mean to actual whores.

 

[gwax23]

I'm a conservative Christian and even I think that's really mean to actual whores.

Your absolutely right. I retract my previous statement.

A Parliament of Ugly Satanic Socialist Whores with bad breathe, bad taste in music, and they laugh at their own bad jokes.

 

[LibertyEagle]

"Keeping us safe".

 

[Brian4Liberty]

And what is with this thread title? A thread about Congress secreting their vote entitled, "Will Congress start to make their votes secret?"

Barn door something, something.

Well at least we found out how each Senator voted after the fact. The next step would be for them to never publicly record the individual votes.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

"Keeping us safe".

Or "people sometimes get mad at our votes so it's for the safety of the Congress members to keep the vote secret."