the Motion to Discharge,” the President interjected.
“I know,” Elliott responded in a dejected tone, “but it doesn’t have to take that long. In theory it could take fifteen minutes to get the 218 votes.”
“You’re dreaming,” the president murmured.
“There has got to be a way. I’m tempted to try for a National Referendum.”
“This isn’t Romania. The United States does not allow for Mandatory Referendums, we have only ‘Informational or Optional Referendums’,” the President reminded the former senator.
“I know, I know, but if the percentages of approval are anywhere near what the text message survey revealed, it still might serve to put the House members on notice as to what their constituents would like them to do.”
“So you think the members of the House are concerned with what the wishes of their constituents might be?” the President asked with an ugly chuckle.
“You seem to have become more cynical than when I knew you as a senator,” Elliott observed.
“And you’re not?”
“We have eleven days,” Elliott murmured. “If we put on a major media blitz and file the Motion to Discharge on the 31 st day, in other words the moment the thirty days is up in Committee which is this Friday, then we can somehow force congress to delay the adjournment and then force a vote on the Motion to Discharge …”
The president chuckled. “You’re going to keep congress in session over Christmas?”
“If I must.”
“Fat chance. Don’t torment yourself. We don’t have time. It’s the damn one week layover provision that’s killing us,” Paul replied.
Elliott swore under his breath. “Layover so the members of the House can read the bill. They rarely even bother reading the bill; they just go along with committee recommendations.”
“I’ve only been part of one Motion to Discharge. Are you sure once it reaches the House floor it doesn’t allow for the amending process?”
“I’m ninety nine percent sure, but I’ll consult my rules manual and get back to you.”
“Okay.”
“Look Paul,” Elliott pleaded, “we can do this. There must be something we can do. Can you have your staffers contact the committee members and see what they’re up to? We have to try. I plan on going on the offensive first thing in the morning.”
“Knock yourself out. I’ll talk to the staffers, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Before they hung up Elliott said, “Paul, I still feel like there’s something we’ve missed.”
“What we’re missing is time. Once the House adjourns sine die, for the remainder of the year the bill is dead.”
‘And so am I’ though Elliott.
Chapter Twenty-One
The following morning Elliott woke early and went to work. Over coffee he flipped through the pages of the massive publication of Congressional Research Services rules and procedures and determined the Motion to Discharge didn’t allow for any amendments to be added to the bill which worked in his favor, but he found little else to give him hope. The former senator was angry, and this was becoming a no-holds-barred fight. He contacted Backspace and suggested a new video. The Internet wizard ran with it. He called Eddie Kelley and James Lally with explicit instructions regarding Sam Whitback, Ray Hutchinson and Nick Cobbings.
He then pulled up an article he’d cobbled together in support of H.R. 2239 with bullet points aimed at certain demographics. The elderly he approached with the funding of the Social Security lock box; the groups against war and the deficit hawks with the cutting of the military bases; the young with a general comment about the stock, futures and derivatives fees eliminating their obligation to provide funding for previous generations retirements, and a closing comment about there being a much brighter future in just a few short years He sent it to his printing company for fine tuning along with instructions to buy three pages in USA TODAY. At the bottom of the
“I know,” Elliott responded in a dejected tone, “but it doesn’t have to take that long. In theory it could take fifteen minutes to get the 218 votes.”
“You’re dreaming,” the president murmured.
“There has got to be a way. I’m tempted to try for a National Referendum.”
“This isn’t Romania. The United States does not allow for Mandatory Referendums, we have only ‘Informational or Optional Referendums’,” the President reminded the former senator.
“I know, I know, but if the percentages of approval are anywhere near what the text message survey revealed, it still might serve to put the House members on notice as to what their constituents would like them to do.”
“So you think the members of the House are concerned with what the wishes of their constituents might be?” the President asked with an ugly chuckle.
“You seem to have become more cynical than when I knew you as a senator,” Elliott observed.
“And you’re not?”
“We have eleven days,” Elliott murmured. “If we put on a major media blitz and file the Motion to Discharge on the 31 st day, in other words the moment the thirty days is up in Committee which is this Friday, then we can somehow force congress to delay the adjournment and then force a vote on the Motion to Discharge …”
The president chuckled. “You’re going to keep congress in session over Christmas?”
“If I must.”
“Fat chance. Don’t torment yourself. We don’t have time. It’s the damn one week layover provision that’s killing us,” Paul replied.
Elliott swore under his breath. “Layover so the members of the House can read the bill. They rarely even bother reading the bill; they just go along with committee recommendations.”
“I’ve only been part of one Motion to Discharge. Are you sure once it reaches the House floor it doesn’t allow for the amending process?”
“I’m ninety nine percent sure, but I’ll consult my rules manual and get back to you.”
“Okay.”
“Look Paul,” Elliott pleaded, “we can do this. There must be something we can do. Can you have your staffers contact the committee members and see what they’re up to? We have to try. I plan on going on the offensive first thing in the morning.”
“Knock yourself out. I’ll talk to the staffers, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Before they hung up Elliott said, “Paul, I still feel like there’s something we’ve missed.”
“What we’re missing is time. Once the House adjourns sine die, for the remainder of the year the bill is dead.”
‘And so am I’ though Elliott.
Chapter Twenty-One
The following morning Elliott woke early and went to work. Over coffee he flipped through the pages of the massive publication of Congressional Research Services rules and procedures and determined the Motion to Discharge didn’t allow for any amendments to be added to the bill which worked in his favor, but he found little else to give him hope. The former senator was angry, and this was becoming a no-holds-barred fight. He contacted Backspace and suggested a new video. The Internet wizard ran with it. He called Eddie Kelley and James Lally with explicit instructions regarding Sam Whitback, Ray Hutchinson and Nick Cobbings.
He then pulled up an article he’d cobbled together in support of H.R. 2239 with bullet points aimed at certain demographics. The elderly he approached with the funding of the Social Security lock box; the groups against war and the deficit hawks with the cutting of the military bases; the young with a general comment about the stock, futures and derivatives fees eliminating their obligation to provide funding for previous generations retirements, and a closing comment about there being a much brighter future in just a few short years He sent it to his printing company for fine tuning along with instructions to buy three pages in USA TODAY. At the bottom of the
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