[EL] [Leg] Super-committee

Daniel Schuman dschuman at sunlightfoundation.com
Wed Aug 3 19:18:33 PDT 2011


For those interested, the Sunlight Foundation sent a letter today calling
for the committee's activities to be transparent. There aren't many
provisions that allow for the public to see it's work.

http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/08/03/opensupercongress-debt-committee-must-be-transparent/

Also, just put together a quick calendar of when legislative activity must
happen in the committee:
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/08/03/debt-ceiling-legislative-action-calendar/

Daniel

Daniel Schuman
Director | Advisory Committee on Transparency<http://transparencycaucus.org/>
Policy Counsel | The Sunlight Foundation <http://sunlightfoundation.com/>
o: 202-742-1520 x 273 | c: 202-713-5795 | @danielschuman
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On Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 6:56 PM, Toby Dorsey <tdorsey at starpower.net> wrote:

> As I read the legislation, it is not delegating legislative authority.  It
> is simply
> creating a special committee that has certain responsibilities, and
> providing
> streamlined consideration of its work.  The two houses of Congress are
> empowered by the Constitution to make their own rules.  What they are
> doing here is likely modeled after other fast track mechanisms, such as
> fast
> track consideration of trade agreements and streamlined BRAC (base
> realignment and closure) processes.
>
> The media reports of what the bill does is one thing, but what the actual
> bill
> does is another.  My initial take, at any rate.
>
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 15:32:29 -0700
> >From: Rick Hasen <rhasen at law.uci.edu>
> >Subject: Re: [Leg] [EL] Super-committee
> >To: Steve Hoersting <hoersting at gmail.com>
> >Cc: "law-election at uci.edu" <law-election at uci.edu>, law-
> legislation at uci.edu
> >
> >   Sorry, resending.  I had sent this to the old
> >   Legislation listserv address.
> >   Rick
> >   On 8/3/2011 3:30 PM, Rick Hasen wrote:
> >
> >     Steve,
> >     I think these are interesting questions.  I'm
> >     copying folks on the Legislation listserv, where
> >     this discussion might be more appropriate.  (To
> >     subscribe to that listserv, see here:
> >     http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/admin/law-legislation).
> >     My own quick view of this is that there is nothing
> >     at all unconstitutional about this proposal, since
> >     the proposal setting up this procedure was duly
> >     enacted in legislation meeting the requirements of
> >     bicameralism and presentment to the president,
> >     with his signature.
> >     As to whether it undermines popular sovereignty
> >     and whether it is wise legislation, I leave that
> >     to others.
> >
> >     Rick
> >     On 8/3/2011 9:25 AM, Steve Hoersting wrote:
> >
> >       Missing from Supercommittee > Superlobbyists >
> >       Supercompromise is: Superconstitutional.
> >
> >       No doubt that "the supercommittee process has
> >       the potential to provide a way around partisan
> >       stalemate."  But this is its vice, not its
> >       virtue.  Congress cannot delegate its
> >       legislative function away from Congress as a
> >       whole.  Exceptions to non-delegation,
> >       particularly the example of administrative
> >       agencies, are inapplicable here.  Agencies are
> >       granted discretion because they possess
> >       expertise.  The taxing and spending powers,
> >       however, are entirely Congress' domain.
> >
> >       Congress also has amendment, debate and
> >       filibuster provisions (on one or both sides of
> >       the Rotunda).  Letting the Congress vote only
> >       yes or no on a Supercommittee proposal seems to
> >       violate those provisions -- and seems to place
> >       an Independent Payments Advisory Board not just
> >       in charge of healthcare, but in charge of
> >       national spending.
> >
> >       I know this is an election law list, and that
> >       the lobbying angle in any story is what we'll
> >       see emphasized here.  Let me suggest that
> >       popular sovereignty and effective representation
> >       deserve emphasis, as well.  After all, those
> >       are the reasons we have elections in the first
> >       instance.
> >
> >       If someone on this election law list were to
> >       reply that the Supercommittee proposal is not
> >       unconstitutional and does not undermine popular
> >       sovereignty, it would not be wasted ink -- or
> >       silicon, as the case may be.
> >
> >       Steve Hoersting
> >
> >       On Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 11:40 AM, Daniel Tokaji
> >       <tokaji.1 at osu.edu> wrote:
> >
> >         “Groups Vie to be Perry Super PAC”
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The WSJ blog has this post.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         Obama’s Bundlers
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         FoxNews reports here.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         More Commentary on CA Redistricting Plans
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The LA Times has this op-ed from Harold
> >         Meyerson, and the SacBee this one from Dan
> >         Walters.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in redistricting | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “Supreme Court campaign finance ruling spurs
> >         wild ride in Wisconsin”
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The Washington Times reports here.  In
> >         related news, Politico has more on AFP’s
> >         wrong-date absentee ballot mailer, and the AP
> >         has this story on CU’s spending in the
> >         recall elections.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance, chicanery |
> >         Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         Supercommittee > Superlobbyists >
> >         Supercompromise?
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The National Journal, Politico, and Huffpost
> >         have stories on the lobbying that’s expected
> >         to arise from the debt deal.  The health care
> >         and defense industries are likely to be
> >         especially active, given the reductions in
> >         defense spending and Medicare provider
> >         payments that will take effect in 2013 if the
> >         supercommittee can’t come to an agreement
> >         (or if Congress doesn’t approve it).
> >
> >         Even for those who tend to worry about the
> >         influence of big-money lobbyists, this could
> >         actually be a good thing.  As I suggested in
> >         this post, the supercommittee process has the
> >         potential to provide a way around partisan
> >         stalemate on deficit reduction.  Heavy
> >         lobbying by defense and health-care interests
> >         — aimed at preventing big cuts that will
> >         hurt their pocketbooks – can be expected
> >         to make a compromise more likely.  To
> >         borrow Heather Gerken‘s phrase, this may be
> >         a way of harnessing politics to fix politics.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in lobbying | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “Unequal Protection: Corporate Control of
> >         Politics”
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         Truthout has this excerpt from Thom
> >         Hartmann’s book.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “Redrawing Lines May Go Past 2012″
> >
> >         Posted on August 3, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         Roll Call has this story.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in redistricting | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         FEC/NRCC Spat over Disclosure
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         Politico has this report.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         Opinion Upholding PA Voter Registration Law
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The opinion, which rejects Project Vote’s
> >         facial challenge to a law prohibiting
> >         per-signature payment for registration
> >         workers, may be found here (h/t Richard
> >         Winger).
> >
> >         Update & clarification:  Rick tweets on the
> >         case here.  I’ve slightly amended my
> >         initial post above, adding the word
> >         “facial.”
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in voter registration | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         Gov. Haley Signs SC Congressional
> >         Redistricting Bill
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The plan includes a new 7th CD but must be
> >         precleared before it can take effect.
> >
> >         Update:  Hans von Spakovsky and Christian
> >         Adams question the state’s decision to seek
> >         preclearance from DOJ rather than from the
> >         USDC in D.C.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in redistricting | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         Dishonest Polling in Hawaii U.S. Senate
> >         Contest?
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         The Fix has this post on the DSCC speaking
> >         out against a poll released by Democratic
> >         candidate Ed Case.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in chicanery | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “For some political junkies, donating
> >         repeatedly is way to get fix”
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         Who knew?  Paging Dr. Drew.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “New voter ID laws subvert democracy and
> >         Catholic teaching”
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         An unusual perspective on voter ID from
> >         America, the National Catholic Weekly.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in voter id | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “There’s Nothing Funny About Colbert’s
> >         SuperPAC”
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         So says NPR … giving credence to the idea
> >         that it has no sense of humor.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in campaign finance, election law
> >         "humor" | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >         “Driehaus wins abortion billboard battles”
> >
> >         Posted on August 2, 2011 by Dan Tokaji
> >
> >         See this story on former U.S. Rep. Steve
> >         Driehaus’ win over an anti-abortion group
> >         that ran ads against him that he believed to
> >         be misleading. U.S. District Judge Timothy
> >         Black’s order reportedly allows Driehaus’
> >         defamation lawsuit against the Susan B.
> >         Anthony List to proceed.
> >
> >         Update:  There are three separate orders in
> >         the case, available here, here and here.
> >
> >         Description: Share
> >
> >         Posted in chicanery | Comments Off
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >         Daniel Tokaji | Professor of Law
> >
> >         The Ohio State University | Moritz College of
> >         Law
> >
> >         55 W. 12^th Ave. | Columbus, OH 43210
> >
> >         614.292.6566 | tokaji.1 at osu.edu
> >
> >
> >
> >         _______________________________________________
> >         Law-election mailing list
> >         Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
> >         http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/law-election
> >
> >       --
> >       Stephen M. Hoersting
> >
> >     --
> >     Rick Hasen
> >     Professor of Law and Political Science
> >     UC Irvine School of Law
> >     401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
> >     Irvine, CA 92697-8000
> >     949.824.3072 - office
> >     949.824.0495 - fax
> >     rhasen at law.uci.edu
> >     http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
> >     http://electionlawblog.org
> >
> >   --
> >   Rick Hasen
> >   Professor of Law and Political Science
> >   UC Irvine School of Law
> >   401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
> >   Irvine, CA 92697-8000
> >   949.824.3072 - office
> >   949.824.0495 - fax
> >   rhasen at law.uci.edu
> >   http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
> >   http://electionlawblog.org
> >________________>____________________________________________
> ___
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