The Latest From The 'Most Ethical' Congress In History

Remember back in 2006 when Nancy Pelosi promised that hers would be the 'most ethical Congress' in history? Um, never mind that silly idea:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to re-write House rules today to ensure that the Republican minority is unable to have any influence on legislation. Pelosi’s proposals are so draconian, and will so polarize the Capitol, that any thought President-elect Obama has of bipartisan cooperation will be rendered impossible before he even takes office.

Pelosi’s rule changes -- which may be voted on today -- will reverse the fairness rules that were written around Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America.”

In reaction, the House Republican leadership is sending a letter today to Pelosi to object to changes to House Rules this week that would bar Republicans from offering alternative bills, amendments to Democrat bills or even the guarantee of open debate accessible by motions to recommit for any piece of legislation during the entire 111th Congress. These procedural abuses ... would also include the repeal of six-year limit for committee chairmen and other House Rules reform measures enacted in 1995 as part of the Contract with America.

Pelosi’s proposed repeal of decades-long House accountability reforms exposes a tyrannical Democrat leadership poised to assemble legislation in secret, then goose-step it through Congress by the elimination of debate and amendment procedures as part of America’s governing legislative process.

Yeah, who needs that stupid minority running around mucking up everything for the majority, anyway? Why would that be important to America? And why wouldn't we all want a one-party rule...I mean...government in Washington?

Here's a bit of back history for you:

After decades of Democrat control of the House of Representatives, gross abuses to the legislative process and several high-profile scandals contributed to an overwhelming Republican House Congressional landslide victory in 1994. Reforms to the House Rules as part of the Contract with America were designed to open up to public scrutiny what had become under this decades-long Democrat majority a dangerously secretive House legislative process. The Republican reform of the way the House did business included opening committee meetings to the public and media, making Congress actually subject to federal law, term limits for committee chairmen ending decades-long committee fiefdoms, truth in budgeting, elimination of the committee proxy vote, authorization of a House audit, specific requirements for blanket rules waivers, and guarantees to the then-Democrat minority party to offer amendments to pieces of legislation.

You might consider calling your Rep, as well as Pelosi's office to weigh in on this attempt to strong-arm her way into almost absolute control of the House.

Gateway Pundit says, "So... this is what hope and change looks like." Michelle Malkin adds that "The Lady Speaker is just another Good Ol’ Boy in a skirt."

I just think it's more classic liberalism: two sets of rules, one for when conservative Reps are in charge, and another one for when liberal Dems are in charge. Also, liberals love to use that classic tactic perfected by Stalin: silencing the opposition.

Oh, by the way, Pelosi also promised to restore civility and bipartisanship and to work with the President on Iraq. At least she's consistent.

Gird your loins, this is going to be a long couple of years.

There's my two cents.