Reality bites: We don’t currently have a House of Representatives

As the clown show in the House of Representatives stretches into its fourth day, a disturbing reality has begun to set in. By any functional definition of the institution, we currently do not actually have a House of Representatives. Under the long-standing rules of the House, no business can be conducted without a Speaker. That includes the swearing-in of all the members. (Not just the newly elected ones.) The terms of all of the previous members have ended, so until they are sworn in, there technically are no sitting members of the House. And until all of the non-members can figure out how to put someone in place as the Speaker, there will not be a House. The Senate is unable to do anything except internal housekeeping chores without the cooperation of the currently non-existent House, so the country currently does not have a legislative branch. I have frequently been guilty of making jokes about how Congress is at its best when it’s not in session because at least they can’t evaporate any more of our money or pass bad laws, but the reality is that this will quickly become a serious problem. (Associated Press)Read More