House Speaker Vote

[cola490]

Can anyone explain why the House does not have an electronic voting system?

[Quiet Observer]

"A voice vote occurs when the presiding officer asks in turn for members to call out “yea” or “nay” in support or opposition of a bill. This is the fastest way to take a vote, but it is imprecise. In a roll-call vote, the presiding officer calls on each representative to determine the votes one at a time.

A recorded vote, which can only take place in the House of Representatives and has a special electronic voting system, allows the votes of each member to be counted faster than does a roll-call vote. A standing vote is occasionally taken in the House of Representatives by having the members stand and be counted in either support or opposition". 

What Are the Four Types of Votes in the House of Representatives? (reference.com) 

 

The roll call vote probably is done for a more dramatic or political effect. 

[Flynn]

Theatrics...

 

IMO since the tech exist, every vote should be taken electronically (even if it's done along side a roll call or standing count) and instantly displayed and made public in real time, I absolutley hate the quicky voice votes, there should be 100% accoutability and transparency in how each member votes on everything, even if it's a trivial vote like ending the day, it should be public record and retained on how each person voted.

[Fuddly]

I thought they did but it could not be used for a speaker vote 

[Dumak_from_arfcom]

 

The rules were set by the previous speaker.  Those rules calls for the roll call and oral vote. 

 

Nancy Pelosi foresaw this was going to happen because she can do math and more than 4 GOP house members said they would oppose McCarthy. 

The roll call and oral vote slows everything way down. That is why the dems aren't even voting for them to go home at the end of the day.   

[ragsbo]

Now lets see how soon he forgets all the "promises" he made to buy votes and get back to business as usual

[djmarkla]

The negotiators are getting things in writing on both sides 

[Dumak_from_arfcom]

On 1/7/2023 at 12:27 PM, djmarkla said:

The negotiators are getting things in writing on both sides 

 

They can get it in writing all they want, but it isn't binding, and carries no weight.  Once elected, the Speaker of the House becomes the King of the House of Reps and pretty much the entire complex of the Capitol Building minus the Senate and Senate offices.   

They could take their papers to the media, but the media would report the Freedom Caucus getting stabbed in the back as a good thing for America.

[Flynn]

On 1/7/2023 at 12:56 PM, Dumak_from_arfcom said:

 

They can get it in writing all they want, but it isn't binding, and carries no weight.  Once elected, the Speaker of the House becomes the King of the House of Reps and pretty much the entire complex of the Capitol Building minus the Senate and Senate offices.

 

And this was the primary argument of the hold outs, in that they are all supposed to get equal representation, but instead the House is 100% run like a dictatorship where a single person makes all the rules and there is no real mechanism in place to challenge that person's rule.  Regardless of the side you are on, its a valid complaint.  God knows in Illinois we saw first hand how much power the State speaker had for decades.

[ragsbo]

On 1/7/2023 at 12:27 PM, djmarkla said:

The negotiators are getting things in writing on both sides 

Not worth the price of the paper and ink! Means NOTHING! These are professional liars and just don't care.

[Dumak_from_arfcom]

On 1/7/2023 at 1:37 PM, Flynn said:

 

And this was the primary argument of the hold outs, in that they are all supposed to get equal representation, but instead the House is 100% run like a dictatorship where a single person makes all the rules and there is no real mechanism in place to challenge that person's rule.  Regardless of the side you are on, its a valid complaint.  God knows in Illinois we saw first hand how much power the State speaker had for decades.

I remember an interview on some political show with Tip O'Neill.   They asked why he never seriously considered running for president.  He said why would he want to do that, the Speaker of the House has more authority with less headaches.  The speaker gets to decide which bills get sent for a vote and which bills never see the light of day, and can make the rules whatever he wants them to be. The president has to fight everyone including his own federal bureaucracy. The Speaker only has to manage a few hundred people and they all want something from you.