from Brent Smith for World Net Daily:
A couple weeks ago Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., caused quite a stir in political circles when he had the unmitigated gall to suggest that maybe representatives should stay put and conduct House business from home, by doing it virtually.
Oh, the horror!
It was, of course, in response to the growing coronavirus threat.
But the original flap came over his insistence that members first return to Washington to conduct a physical “recorded” vote on the gazillion-dollar coronavirus relief package.
Speaker Pelosi wanted to pass the $2 trillion package by unanimous consent. This is the most absurd thing I’ve heard in quite some time.
First, unanimous consent does not require that all members even be present, and second, it’s basically just a silent agreement, where no member actually casts a vote.
In other words, the House wanted to spend half our annual budget without even casting a single vote. And as far as I can see, the silent agreement is made with whomever happens to be in the chamber when the speaker calls for consent. There appears to be no minimum required.
But Massie had the nerve to insist that House members return to Washington and cast a recorded vote.
What nerve this guy had to insist on a vote for a sum of money that would have been unfathomable just a couple of decades ago.
Massie was excoriated for even suggesting such thing, as it would have slowed down the aid package’s passage “by hours.” The president said Massie should be kicked out of the Republican Party for this.
Really, Mr. President? I’m a Trump supporter, but I can’t get behind that remark.
And it would be slowed by hours? In the grand scheme of things, we couldn’t wait for a few more hours to conduct the nation’s business properly and constitutionally? Please!