The U.S. Constitution gives the SPEAKER, NOT the President the power to schedule addresses!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

Please understand how the U.S. Constitution works.

The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives sets the schedule (a.k.a. The Docket). He/she ALONE--not the President-- is responsible for the calendar.

It has NOTHING to do with the president!!

It has NOTHING to do with caving or not caving!!

It has EVERYTHING to do with the U.S. Constitution's concept of Separation of Powers!!!

Please go back and review your Constitution!!!!!!!!!!

[one_voice]

1. Thank you...

There was a part I was unclear on.

[Orrex]

2. Unrecc'ing for being reasonable and informed

What the hell's the matter with you?!?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. That's been my problem for a long time here on DU. n/t

[Bluebear]

29. Informed??? Making shit up you mean!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. Making shit up, eh?

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker, U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 2

Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate.

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

GO READ YOUR CONSTITUTION!!!!

[Orrex]

68. You totally made up the Constitution

[BeyondGeography]

3. Tell the fucking White House

:dunce:

[trueblue2007]

4. i agree. Your posting of the CONSTITUTION is good but falling on deaf ears

the naysayers and bummers are bound and determined to paint our President as a weakling and a loser. AND HE IS NOT!!

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

30. Except nowhere in the CONSTITUTION does it say that.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

43. Article 1, Section 2....

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Yes and that is absolutely irrelevant to what just happened.

This administration appears to be clueless that they will be blind sided at every opportunity by the opposition party. They keep exposing themselves.

Here perhaps a picture will help you understand:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. I'm hoping that you're wrong. I'm hoping that the American people see what the ReTHUGS

are up to! They only care about their petty power politics. They could give shit about jobs and the American people. The fucking debate that will feature a bunch of fucking losers can be rescheduled!!

I just wish that people would first point the finger at the ReTHUGS rather than knee-jerk bashing of the president. It's really painful and demoralizes voters such that they become defeated and won't vote. We must try and stand together. PLEASE!!

[bowens43]

15. What the see is that the man in the oval office is no leader. nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. What do you expect him to do when he tries to be a leader and keeps getting

kicked in the ass? I don't get it at all. Why are you NOT attacking the GOP? Indeed you are falling right into their hands. They want you to attack the president and NOT them! What are you falling for it?!?!?

[in_cog_ni_to]

39. Obama could just as easily schedule that speech to be given from the Oval Office and

he could have scheduled it at the same time the Rethugs are holding their weekly debate. That would have taken balls though. He lost his somewhere along the line. No one said he has to give his speech from the House floor. He just wants to do that.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. I'm really trying to deal with the ODSers here on DU...

The Constitution gives the Speaker enormous power and that power is most often used to set the legislative calendar. If Boehner requests to have the president make his speech on another day, sadly the president has to comply. The president can only *request*. He cannot demand anything!

Next time most of us will get out and vote and if we don't want to repeat this scenario of putting this much power in the hands of a deranged Republican and his thuggish sycophants.

[provis99]

22. what a load of bull.

The only mention of the Speaker in the Constitution is with regards to Presidential succession, and a cryptic statement that the House shall choose its Speaker. So where is all this magnificient power that the Speaker gets in the Constitution?

The only power the Speaker has is the powers voluntarily given him by the majority party.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

44. WRONG AGAIN!! See was ODS does do a person...

READ!!!

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker
Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate.

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

Article I, Section II

[Puglover]

51. What you had better "deal with"

is the American culture. Like or not (I do not) Americans see this kind of behavior as weakness. It's all a big football game to them.

The Michael Vicks of the world win. I think the whole Obama "has no balls" thing is bullshit. But believe me, most folks do not see constant compromise as a virtue. I think the administration is making a serious mistake with this. And I think (again given our culture) it could very well be perceived as weakness and could cost us the election.

And the main stream media will be no help. They will at least infer this to be a win for the Pukes.

[flamingdem]

7. Thanks for bringing in the facts nt

[unkachuck]

8. it's bigger than Constitutional procedure....

....refusing a President, any President, the opportunity to address Congress on a day of his choice, is slapping the face of the President....

....boner will certainly get away with slapping the face of Obama, but with any other President, there would be hell to pay....

....the chimp would probably anthrax him....

[Ikonoklast]

10. And Boner made himself look petty.

While making Mr. Obama look like the adult.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. The blatant disrespect is definitely unprecedented, and I believe mostly due to his race.

I know that I'm in the minority here on this issue, but I truly believe that in my heart of hearts. The disrespect is about 90 to 95 percent about race.

[bowens43]

13. Spin Spin Spin!!!!!!!!

Obama CAVED again!!!!!!!


Keep trying to justify Obama's dismal performance.The spelunker-in-chief kissed boner's ring again.

[treestar]

16. You were just informed of certain facts

And have apparently chosen to ignore them.

[blkmusclmachine]

14. Funny how only the DEM's need follow the Constitution:

The GOP's never heard of the Constituiton (which they refer to as that goddamn piece of paper). The DEM's are always binding their own hands, are always hamstringing themselves at every opportunity, and always at the very first sign of trouble. The DEM's won't stand up for ANYTHING, unless they get preapproval from the GOP on it first, and then it'll only be on the GOP's Terms. Sickening. Weak. And Pathetic. What a bunch of Cowards. And Losers. I'm so done with this crop of Fakes and Phoneys. Boot the lot and Take Our Party Back. :rant:

[polmaven]

64. So are you suggesting

that Democrats should follow the GOP in ignoring the Constitution? Now wouldn't that be the All American thing to do?

In my opinion, however, paying attention to the Constitution and the laws of the country is what puts Democrats so far above the Republicans.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Who Cares?????????

I promise you that will not matter.

He appears to have caved. That's how it will be seen by the masses.

More importantly, why did he pick the conflict date? And why did he move it to NFL night?????




NOTHING he did in any of this was smart.








But you cite technicalities - as if they matter.

[dionysus]

48. "the masses" don't give a flying fuck about rescheduling a speech, only political junkies...

who try to use it as part of their agenda.
:shrug:

[Arkansas Granny]

62. You've asked the same question I had. Why did they pick that date to begin with?

Surely they knew that the Republican debate was already scheduled for that date when they sent the letter to Boehner requesting to address Congress. Also, why did they release the date of the speech before they had received confirmation of their request from Boehner? It almost seems like they were setting themselves up for this conflict. Really, what did they expect? The scheduling issues should have been worked out before it was announced to the public.

[Pryderi]

20. Would you mind citing the part of the US Constitution you're referring to? Article II, section 3

allows the president to call Congress into session.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. Article I, Section II allows the Speaker to control the calendar AND when

joint sessions are to take place.

-----

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker

Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate.

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

[SnoopDog]

21. Well, obviously the Constitution does not say what you think it says.

You got an Article # and Section # proving your post?

Here is mine:



Article 2

Section. 3.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

[provis99]

23. he didn't post the Constitutional line, because he made it up.

the House and Speaker have no power in when the President decides to have a joint session. If he wants one, he gets it, as your cited article clearly states.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. First, I am very much a WOMAN!! Second, read Article I, Section II

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker
Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate.

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

[WinkyDink]

53. Do you not know the difference between "bills" and "the President of the United States"?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

56. Of course. Do you know the difference between Articles I and II of the U.S. Constitution?

[WinkyDink]

63. I challenge you to show where the Speaker's job of "scheduling" has anything to do with a President.

[hack89]

57. No - Congress has to pass a joint resolution first authorizing a joint session

if it doesn't pass - no joint session. Congress has the power to say no.

[Warren Stupidity]

26. oops

this discussion could actually get interesting.

[GeorgeGist]

27. What part of this do you not understand?

'he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper;...'

[SnoopDog]

33. Yes, the President has those Powers....not the speaker

This is the Ops post:
"Please understand how the U.S. Constitution works.

The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives sets the schedule (a.k.a. The Docket). He/she ALONE--not the President-- is responsible for the calendar.

It has NOTHING to do with the president!!

It has NOTHING to do with caving or not caving!!

It has EVERYTHING to do with the U.S. Constitution's concept of Separation of Powers!!!

Please go back and review your Constitution!!!!!!!!!!"

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

49. Article I, Section II

Read it!

Powers duties and privileges of the Speaker
Typically the head of the majority party in the House, the speaker outranks the Majority Leader. The salary of the Speaker is also higher than that of the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House and Senate.

The Speaker rarely presides over regular meetings of the full House, instead delegating the role to another representative. The Speaker does, however, typically presides over special joint sessions of Congress in which the House hosts the Senate. The Speaker exerts power over the legislative process by setting the House legislative calendar determining when bills will be debated and voted on. The Speaker often utilizes this power to help fulfill his or her responsibility of making sure bills supported by the majority party are passed by the House. The Speaker also serves as chair of the majority party's House steering committee.

[hack89]

58. Congress still has to pass a joint resolution authorizing a joint session

Congress does have the power to say no.

[hack89]

31. But it still takes a joint resolution from Congress

to authorize a joint session. Congress has the right to say no to the President.

[SnoopDog]

34. No, the Constitution does not say that....

Is this entire thread just for 'fun' or what?

[jberryhill]

37. The president has no independent right to convene a joint session

...or even to enter the House chamber.

It is a simple consequence of separation of powers.

The House and Senate run their own affairs and we do not have a dictator.

[SnoopDog]

41. Show me that in the Constitution....

I can show you where he does have the power however...

Section. 3.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

[BzaDem]

55. The power to give Congress information does not imply the right to speak in either House, let alone

both. Our earliest Presidents often just sent Congress a letter. No speech or joint session at all.

[hack89]

59. Not everything is in the Constitution

Joint session of congress requires a concurrent resolution from both House and Senate to meet. Joint sessions include the counting of electoral votes following a presidential election and the State of the Union, as well as other addresses by the President.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_the_United_States_Congress

[scheming daemons]

32. um... jobs speech is not an "extraordinary Occasion"....

and also.. he *IS* convening them... on September 8th.

[SnoopDog]

36. Who better to say what is extraordinary...than the President.

I am just showing that the OP is incorrect on his assertion that the Speaker sets the 'schedule'.

[progressoid]

35. You need more words IN ALL CAPS. And more exclamation points!!!!!

Otherwise people won't understand. ;)

[demmiblue]

52. Lulz. n/t

!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

47. See #46. And, by the way, I am a GIRL!!!!! n/t

[provis99]

24. The Constitution says NOTHING about what you claim.

If the best you can do is make shit up, and hope that your critics have never read the Constitution, you are one sorry debater.

[Hosnon]

25. Cite? nt.

[Bluebear]

28. He doesn't have a magic wand!!

:cry:

[Number23]

38. WHY DO YOU BOTHER?

Seriously?

[in_cog_ni_to]

40. Could you post that part of the Constitution? I'd love to read it. Thanks!

:hi:

[WinkyDink]

50. 1. The President may convene a Joint Session. 2. The Speaker will preside over it.

The President has several constitutional duties aside from the general "enforce the laws" duty. These are:

•To be Commander in Chief of the military
•To conduct foreign affairs
•To negotiate treaties with other nations
•To nominate members of the cabinet, judiciary, etc.
•To review and sign or veto bills
•To administer the laws of the nation
•To issue pardons as he sees fit
•To address the Congress from time to time to assess the state of the nation
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_govt.html#Exec
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because joint sessions and joint meetings of both houses of Congress are held in the Hall of the House of Representatives, the Speaker presides over all such joint sessions and meetings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

[hack89]

60. "Joint session of congress requires a concurrent resolution from both House and Senate to meet."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_the_United_States_Congress

[WinkyDink]

65. Fine. This does not support the OP. And, BTW, Obama ASKED.

[hack89]

66. Never said it did

just adding one piece of information that many people overlook.

[LibertyLover]

54. This is the exact quote from Article I, Section II of the Constitution

"The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."

I don't see anywhere in it that the Speaker has the power you claim. The verbiage you posted to defend your position is an explanation of what a modern Speaker of the House does. It is not however set out in the Constitution.

[hack89]

61. "Joint session of congress requires a concurrent resolution from both House and Senate to meet."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_the_United_States_Congress

Not everything is in the Constitution.

[durablend]

67. Well that's awesome

So essentially Boner can tell the president to shut the fuck up and of course, he has no choice!

Funny how when Republicans are in power none of this applies.