• Home
  • Illinois News
  • Illinois Politics
  • US Politics
  • US NEWS
  • America First
  • Opinion
  • World News
  • Second Amendment
Friday, July 11, 2025
Illinois Review
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Illinois News
  • Illinois Politics
  • US Politics
  • US NEWS
  • America First
  • Opinion
  • World News
  • Second Amendment
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Illinois News
  • Illinois Politics
  • US Politics
  • US NEWS
  • America First
  • Opinion
  • World News
  • Second Amendment
No Result
View All Result
Illinois Review
No Result
View All Result
Home Illinois News

Pullen: Needed: U.S. Senate Rule Reform Now

Illinois Review by Illinois Review
April 1, 2017
in Illinois News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
2
26
SHARES
432
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Senate

You might also like

Economos: Illinois’ Pension Crisis – A Tale of Mismanagement

Mayor Johnson: Chicago ‘Police Dept. Will Not Ever Cooperate with ICE’

Chicago AM560 Axes Local Morning Radio Personality Amy Jacobson, Keeps Florida-based Host in Cost-Cutting Move

Commentary by Penny Pullen, former Illinois State Representative and editor, Life Advocacy Briefing

In all the after-action analysis of the March 24 failure of the ObamaCare repeal/replacement proposal in the US House, little has been said about the frustration faced by many House Members in knowing the proposal – regardless of the intricacies of House negotiations – would face immense difficulty in the Senate if it would indeed pass the House.

We make that observation not only because a handful of Senators in the Majority Party had vowed either to block the House proposal or to so alter it as to make it unrecognizable – not only because of these individuals and their own ideas and demands but also because of the Senate’s rules.

Though many have taken note of the Senate’s so-called “Byrd Rule,” which relates to limitations on the content of budget reconciliation proposals, we contend a greater problem is in the Senate’s 60-vote supermajority requirement to bring virtually any proposal to a vote – the “cloture” rule. It is that rule which prompted the GOP House and Senate Leaders to choose the budget reconciliation vehicle (exempt from the 60-vote rule) for ObamaCare repeal/replacement and, just as important though less often noted publicly, the disqualification of Planned Parenthood from taxpayer funding.

It was the choice of “reconciliation” that broke the ObamaCare repeal/replacement into three separate stages, with stage three being a later proposal – requiring 60 votes – that House conservatives were demanding in March, demanding such critical reforms as opening the health insurance market to robust competition by expressly authorizing in federal law the marketing of policies across state lines. Because of the Senate’s 60-vote cloture rule – and because of the Minority Party’s stubborn refusal either to repeal or to reform their pet healthcare takeover legislation – conservatives were right to fear that “stage three” would never come.

But it’s not just the building of a free-market health insurance system that is jeopardized by the cloture rule in these days of determined Democratic Party fanaticism. The 60-vote cloture rule has stopped every reasonable pro-life legislative proposal for the past eight years.

Those Americans who have blamed Congress for legislative inaction over the past eight years – especially since the GOP regained control of the House in 2011 – ought instead to be blaming the Senate’s unyielding embrace of its Minority-empowerment cloture rule.

 Defund Planned Parenthood? House says “yes;” Senate never votes on it. Protect young girls from being transported across state lines for abortions behind their parents’ backs? House says “yes;” Senate never votes on it. Barring abortions on babies aged 20 weeks or older and subject to excruciating pain? House says “yes;” Senate never votes on it.

            It is the Senate – regardless of which party was in control – which sheltered Barack Obama from having to demonstrate how merciless he was as President; if Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry generally did not want a bill to be enacted into law, it simply never saw the light of day in the Senate, because the abortion industry controls enough Senate votes to block “cloture” every time.

            Confirm Neil Gorsuch? Get rid of the 60-vote rule. Repeal/replace ObamaCare? Get rid of the 60-vote rule. Defund Planned Parenthood and redirect “women’s healthcare” grants to legitimate community health centers, as in Sen. Ernst’s gestating legislation? Get rid of the 60-vote rule.

            The Senate does not have to worry about losing its “distinctiveness” as a “deliberative” body. It will still be unique, as its Members are elected statewide rather than in districts, and each Senator is subject to voter accountability only every six years. Those are characteristics which will still have the effect of slowing down proposals and facilitating robust debate. But Minority control is not only problematic, it is unAmerican, and it is time for the Senate to put this sullied tradition into history’s dustbin.

Related

Share10Tweet7
Previous Post

Nationally, Manufacturers are optimistic. Not so much in Illinois.

Next Post

J.B. Pritzker gets involved in Bolingbrook mayoral race

Illinois Review

Illinois Review

Founded in 2005, Illinois Review is the leading perspective and source of conservative news, opinion and information in Illinois. Follow Illinois Review on X at @IllinoisReview.

Recommended For You

Economos: Illinois’ Pension Crisis – A Tale of Mismanagement

by James P. Economos, DDS
July 8, 2025
0
Economos: Illinois’ Pension Crisis – A Tale of Mismanagement

By James P. Economos, DDS, Opinion Contributor There’s been constant debate over Illinois' pension system – and for good reason. It remains chronically underfunded and plagued with issues...

Read moreDetails

Mayor Johnson: Chicago ‘Police Dept. Will Not Ever Cooperate with ICE’

by Illinois Review
July 8, 2025
0
Mayor Johnson: Chicago ‘Police Dept. Will Not Ever Cooperate with ICE’

By Illinois ReviewAt a Tuesday morning press conference at Chicago City Hall, Mayor Brandon Johnson — whose approval rating hovers around six percent — reiterated that local law...

Read moreDetails

Chicago AM560 Axes Local Morning Radio Personality Amy Jacobson, Keeps Florida-based Host in Cost-Cutting Move

by Illinois Review
July 1, 2025
0
Chicago AM560 Axes Local Morning Radio Personality Amy Jacobson, Keeps Florida-based Host in Cost-Cutting Move

By Illinois ReviewIn a shocking cost-cutting move Tuesday, Chicago’s AM560 The Answer terminated longtime morning host Amy Jacobson, as the struggling conservative station grapples with declining relevance –...

Read moreDetails

JB Pritzker Receives 2% in Presidential Poll, Ranks Lowest in Minority Support Among Democrats

by Illinois Review
June 30, 2025
0
JB Pritzker Receives 2% in Presidential Poll, Ranks Lowest in Minority Support Among Democrats

By Illinois ReviewIn one of the first nationwide hypothetical polls for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, Illinois Governor and billionaire JB Pritzker ranks at the bottom, receiving the...

Read moreDetails

Trump’s Jobs Boom Skips Illinois—Thanks to Pritzker’s Tax Hikes

by Thomas Mccullagh
June 26, 2025
0
Trump’s Jobs Boom Skips Illinois—Thanks to Pritzker’s Tax Hikes

Illinois is missing out on Trump’s U.S. manufacturing boom. While other states welcome new factories, Pritzker’s tax hikes and regulations keep businesses out—and force longtime employers to leave.

Read moreDetails
Next Post

J.B. Pritzker gets involved in Bolingbrook mayoral race

Please login to join discussion

Best Dental Group

Related News

IL Freedom Caucus calls on Lurie Children’s Hospital to cease gender services for kids

October 27, 2022

Beckman: Is the Brigham Young University racial slur controversy another hoax?

October 27, 2022

Salvi polling shows closer race

October 27, 2022

Browse by Category

  • America First
  • Education
  • Faith & Family
  • Foreign Policy
  • Health Care
  • Illinois News
  • Illinois Politics
  • Opinion
  • Science
  • Second Amendment
  • TRENDING
  • US NEWS
  • US Politics
  • World News
Illinois Review

© 2024 llinois Review LLC Editor in Chief Mark Vargas Publisher Thomas McCullagh Chief Counsel Scott Kaspar

Navigate Site

  • Checkout
  • Home
  • Home – mobile
  • Login/Register
  • Login/Register
  • My account
  • My Account-
  • My Account- – mobile

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Illinois News
  • Illinois Politics
  • US Politics
  • Health Care
  • US NEWS
  • America First
  • Opinion
  • TRENDING
  • Education
  • Foreign Policy
  • Second Amendment
  • Faith & Family
  • Science
  • World News

© 2024 llinois Review LLC Editor in Chief Mark Vargas Publisher Thomas McCullagh Chief Counsel Scott Kaspar

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?