A few weeks ago I suggested that House Republicans would mostly try to buy off their deficit-hating tea party supporters with a series of meaningless symbolic votes. Little did I know just how literally that would come true. Ripping a page from the Newt Gingrich playbook, it appears that they’re all set to end the practice of passing honorific resolutions:
Today’s Republicans, imbued with a sense that Washington’s priorities have become muddled, contend that most commemorations are a waste of floor time needed for more pressing matters.
“I do not suspect that Jefferson or Madison ever envisioned Congress honoring the 2,560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius or supporting the designation of National Pi Day,” said Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the next House majority leader. “I believe people want our time, energy and efforts focused on their priorities.”
Apparently they’re doing this because voting on resolutions takes up too much floor time and costs the taxpayers too much money. Neither of which happens to be true, but so what? It sounds good. I recommend that Cantor introduce a resolution seeking a sense of the House about banning resolutions. It should impress the yokels, and I imagine that’s all he’s really after here.
When Democrats took over the House in 2006 they instituted PAYGO and put some teeth back in the ethics process. Now that Republicans have taken over they plan to ditch PAYGO and disband the Office of Congressional Ethics. But they’re going to end the practice of honoring National Pi Day! That’s change you can believe in.
