Econintersect: Not only can Rep. Eric Kantor (R, VA), or his designated representative, make the decision that would almost certainly reopen the federal government, he is the only person who can do so. In an astounding demonstration of the manipulation that can allow a small minority to dictate the future course of the country, the House Rules committee passed a resolution late in the evening of 30 September 2013 (but dated October 1) changing a standing house operational rule so that only Eric Kantor is allowed to make a motion to vote on reopening the government.
The resolution (HR-380) has been explained thusly by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D, MD) on YouTube:
Late in the evening on September 30, 2013, the House Rules Committee Republicans changed the Rules of the House so that the ONLY Member allowed to call up the Senate’s clean CR for a vote was Majority Leader Eric Cantor or his designee — all but guaranteeing the government would shut down a few hours later and would stay shut down. Previously, any Member would have had the right to bring the CR up for a vote. Democracy has been suspended in the House of Representatives.
This obscure maneuver is becoming less obscure because, as this is written, more than 2 million have viewed the YouTube video below:
This is the extreme extension of ideas from theorists such as Edmund Burke who believe that the responsibilities of a representative is (from Wikipedia):
“…to use their own judgement in the exercise of their powers, even if their views are not reflective of those of a majority of voters.”
How would Burke have viewed the abrogation in the middle of the night of all legislative power to one individual on a particular matter for a nation of more than 310 million souls? That is an interesting question.
