• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Sunday, September 24, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

House Democrats want us to do their job

by Oscar H. Blayton
May 29, 2019
7
SHARES
136
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

A salary of $174,000 — that’s what every member of the House of Representatives receives each year. Every member, that is, except Nancy Pelosi. As House Speaker, she gets to take home $223,500.

Those are not bad wages, even if these legislators work five days a week with only two weeks off annually for vacation. But, Congress has averaged only 138 legislative days a year since 2001. That comes to less than three days a week.

Undoubtedly, many House members can articulate why they need so few days in session. Their stated reasonings might include the rigors of carrying out their constitutionally-mandated functions.

But therein lies the rub. The House is refusing to carry out one of its more important functions. 

When the Founding Fathers of this nation wrote the Constitution, they did not want the country to be forced to blindly trust and follow the person holding the office of the president. For this reason, they divided the power of the government into three distinct branches and gave each branch equal status.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

To prevent the president from becoming a tyrant, the House and Senate were both given the responsibility and authority to perform oversight of the Executive Branch.

In order to properly carry out their job, Congress must provide oversight of the president.

We now have a sick and twisted man-baby fouling the oval office. President Donald Trump does not respect the rule of law or the institutions of our federal government. He is determined to bend all aspects of our national structure to his will and has found pliant minions who have been willing to ignore, and even break, the law in service to their overlord.

Neither Congress nor the nation, for that matter, have ever seen anything like this before. Trump’s purulent character has infected most agencies of the executive branch of our government and released bigots, misogynists, xenophobes and every other manner of villainy as antigens into the body of our democratic society.

While Trump burns down the house that America has built, Republican lawmakers have become his collaborators. And, too many House Democrats, cowered by the thought of angering the Republican base, simply quail in the face of this onslaught against our liberties.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Two centuries ago, Congress was given a tool with which to rein in or remove an abusive president because the Founding Fathers knew it was possible a day like today might arrive.

 The House of Representatives has the power of impeachment. In fact, it has the “sole” power of impeachment. The process has been clearly laid out in Sections 2 and 3 of Article I of the Constitution.

Once the president has been impeached by the House for high crimes and misdemeanors, he or she is then tried on those charges by the Senate. If convicted, he or she shall be removed from office. The House does the impeachment and then the Senate conducts the trial.

The impeachment process allows the House to investigate Trump’s wrongdoings — wrongdoings that are clearly laid out in the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. And, if substantiated, those wrongdoings can then be presented to the Senate where their deliberations can be observed by the American public.

But rather than carry out their sworn duty, the House’s Democratic leadership, citing difficulties in carrying out impeachment proceedings, would rather call on the American electorate to vote Trump out of office in 2020. This strategy is designed to maximize Democratic seats in Congress while relieving the Democratic majority in the House of the obligation of doing its difficult job.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Fear of losing elections because you did your job is putting party before country.

This calculated political expediency— and shirking from impeachment — is one reason why the current Democratic leadership in the House cannot stay in place much longer.

Attempts at dressing this self-serving cowardice in a suit of tactical shrewdness will not dupe right-thinking Americans. Pelosi has argued that impeachment proceedings will solidify Trump’s base. Clearly, she is making a political calculation and not a moral decision grounded in the Constitution and her oath of office.

Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Just throw the whole SAT test away

Next Post

Black Business Spotlight: Lola on the Lake

Oscar H. Blayton

You Might Also Like

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ election as minority speaker signals Democrats’ willingness to move on from old guard
Featured

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ election as minority speaker signals Democrats’ willingness to move on from old guard

U.S. House passes CROWN Act to end discrimination against natural Black hairstyles
Featured

U.S. House passes CROWN Act to end discrimination against natural Black hairstyles

Emmett Till Antilynching Act passes House, expected to clear Senate
National

Emmett Till Antilynching Act passes House, expected to clear Senate

Impeached twice: Donald Trump presidency concludes on lowest note in history
National

Impeached twice: Donald Trump presidency concludes on lowest note in history

Impeachment proceedings are just entertainment
Opinion

Impeachment proceedings are just entertainment

Kamala Harris: Will McConnell let the Senate hold a fair impeachment trial?
Opinion

Kamala Harris: Will McConnell let the Senate hold a fair impeachment trial?

Next Post
Black Business Spotlight: Lola on the Lake

Black Business Spotlight: Lola on the Lake

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 25
6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Community Roundtable with Ayodele Casel and Torya Beard

Sep 26
7:00 pm-9:00 pm

Climate and Equity in Minneapolis: What we could win in this year’s budget

Sep 27
8:00 am-12:45 pm

It’s Time to Talk: Forums on Race™

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

%d bloggers like this: