Pennsylvania’s democracy needs the help of political activists like you today.
Most people don’t pay much attention to the rules under which our legislatures operate. But you have seen what undemocratic procedures like the filibuster can do to our democracy.
That’s why I writing to urge you to contact your State Representative to tell him or her to vote down the rules proposed by the House Republican leadership last week
The new rules are deeply disturbing, not just for Democrats with a big D but for those of us who are democrats with a small d. They would further centralize power in the already too centralized PA House of Representatives and undermine the ability of rank and file Representatives of both parties to influence legislation. And when the power of our representatives is limited, so is the power of the people of this commonwealth.
Under the proposed rule change, the Rules Committee, which is dominated by the majority party leadership, would be empowered to block consideration of any amendments to legislation on the floor of the House.Amendments are the main way in which rank and file members of both parties can present alternatives to legislation proposed by the majority party leadership. And they are also the main way in which the minority party can force the majority party to go on record on issues that they prefer to avoid.
Click here to go to PA House web page. Enter your zip code at the top right and find the name of your state representative. Call him and tell him you opposed any rules that would limit block Representatives from bringing amendments up for a vote. And then email me to tell you made that call.
Many of us were hopeful that, over the next two years, we would see an emboldened rank and file membership in the PA House force votes on proposals that have been avoided in recent years: real limits on campaign contributions, regulations on health insurance rates; corporate and sales tax reform that would force wealthy businesses to pay a fair share of taxes and many others. Many of us were hopeful that the amendment process would enable us to secure votes on a severance tax on natural gas production in the Marcellus Shale as well as new regulations on that drilling that protect our air and water.
We don’t know whether we would win or lose those votes. But we do know that the democratic process requires that our Representatives go on the record on these and other critical issues.
These new rules, however, will make it almost impossible to secure votes on many other important pieces of legislation. That undermines democracy not just in the House of Representatives but in the entire Commonwealth.
So please, act today. Go to the PA General Assembly home page. Enter your zip code and find the name of your state representative. Call him and tell him you opposed any rules that would limit block Representatives from bringing amendments up for a vote. And then email me to tell you made that call
And if you want to help more in this effort do things:
- Send this email to a friend.
- Contact me and I’ll help you contact constituents of key SE PA State Representatives to ask them to make one of these critical phone calls.
Pennsylvania’s democracy needs the help of political activists like you today. Please don’t let us down.