I have been imagining what a New Majority in the US House of Representatives might be like ever since Speaker Boehner announced his retirement. What if a non-partisan majority emerged? Tonight I woke from my dreams and wrote the following letter to my representative in the House. If you believe this could work and make our country stronger, I urge you to send a sililar letter to your representative.
Betty, thank you for signing the export petition for the Export Import Bank on Friday. It is not so much the issue I care about as the principal of working together and bringing legislation to the House floor for a vote. Congratulations on the small break in the tyranny of the minority that has ruled the House for so many years. I am writing in hopes that you, my representative in Congress, can help build this small kernel of progress into a movement and a New Majority.
My dream is that a new coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats will come together around the principals of moving legislation to the floor (with committee consideration, but minimal committee blocking) and voting as a whole body (with zero party discipline). I wonder if such a majority could be built, elect a (Republican) speaker and a (Democratic) majority leader who would assign mixed (but majority R) chairs (with opposite party vice-chairs) for committees and with whipping aimed to move legislation rather than enforce party discipline. The notion would be to return majority rule, true democracy, to the House.
I know this would be unprecedented in US history, and a nearly impossible scenario. But I believe it is time to make some history and start bringing our country back from the partisan brink we stand on. I say this as a partisan, long time DFL organizer and officer of my local (SD64) DFL party. I believe you could help heal this dangerous divide. Now is the time for radical cooperation among those who simply believe the House should be a functioning and relevant body rather than a pit of partisan bile. Please, help make it so.
You will have my support and gratitude. Please help build a New Majority in the house.
Move beyond our party for all of us.
…Eric
Let’s see if we can make history!
