Call Me Wonkissimus
If anyone deserves this title [uber-wonk], it is surely NR’s publisher Jack Fowler. At an editorial meeting this morning we were discussing the House of Representatives. The issue of cloture came up. Jack, briskly: “The House doesn’t have a cloture rule.”
I don’t know about you, but I found this sensationally impressive. I mean, how many people—people not employed on Capitol Hill—know that? Five? ~John Derbyshire
I don’t know about sensationally impressive. Mildly interesting might be more like it. This is something that I would hope more than five people know, since it is basic civics to understand the differences between the two chambers. Think about it. Cloture sets a time limit on debate, and it is used to bring a filibuster to an end. The House doesn’t have a filibuster rule, so why would it have a cloture rule? Unless you have heard of a House vote for cloture (and you never have), why would you think that such a thing existed? It’s good to know that some people know this, but if this qualifies you for ueber-wonkdom then our standards are clearly slipping.
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