Stephen L. Carter: Texas Democrats embrace a 1787 strategy By Stephen L. Carter © Provided by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Critics are having a lot of fun with this week’s walkout of Democratic legislators in Texas, a successful effort to deny a quorum and prevent a vote on restrictive election legislation. Although presented as outrageous and strange, the maneuver is an old American tradition, with historical antecedents stretching back to the nation’s founding.
The requirement of a quorum to do business has long been a feature of most legislative bodies. Many require the presence of a supermajority of members 60% or even two-thirds in order to do business. The theory is that legislative action shouldn’t be taken unless enough members are present to enable thorough debate.
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