Need back in 1 hour from now

Respond to each peer initial post with 3-4 sentences long

Peer 1

I have never really watched a debate, beside this year’s Presidential debate. I went to C-Span and watched a debate between House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). At first I kept checking that it was a debate. Both the Majority and Minority Whips were thanking two gentlemen named Vin, pointing out they both had a friend named Vin. Once they began the debate I was very surprised how gentlemanly it was, it was almost if they were sitting across from each other in a drawing room in the 1800. Even though they called each other “my friend” and “this gentleman” it sounded fake. They both spouted facts and figures, but facts and figures from the same Affordable Healthcare Law, but they had opposite facts and figures. Now I know why I don’t watch debates. “In the House, a Representative may offer an amendment to the bill only if he has obtained permission from the Rules Committee” (NAEYC (nd) para 4). Both gentlemen that were debating were Representatives. One wanted to repeal Obamacare, and the other one wanted them to have a replacement in place first.

Since it was the Majority and Minority Whip debating the subject, they could debate more than two questions.  “Except the Majority and Minority Leaders may speak more than twice on any question, without the consent of the House” (2011).

I then began watching a Senate Debate, again Affordable Health Care, this time we have four senators for the debate. Senator Mike Enzi R-Wyoming the author of the bill to repeal ‘Obamacare’, Senator Bernie Sanders I-Vermont, Senator John Cornyn R-Texas and Majority Whip, and Senator Debbie Stabenow D-Michigan. They all are saying the same thing. Repeal the ‘Obamacare’ and get a new affordable health care bill. Problem is, the democrats want to wait until there is something to replace it, or at least only fix the things that do not work. Republicans want to repeal it and then work on a new affordable care program.

Both the House and Senate seem to have the same rules of debate. Call each other my friend, talk about what the other party has done wrong, and spout how their constituents need help. The only rule I found was that there were time limits and they had to stay on subject.

I have never participated in a debate, unless you call what we do around a campfire, a debate. We discuss politics but that is it, mostly because we all agree. 

My main rule is not to take it personal when we disagree. I hope that continues throughout this class.

Affordable health care is a main topic for many of us that live in Ventura County. We are a micro example of what is going on in the nation. We have the 1% who live in Camarillo and the ocean communities, then we have the 69% that are the working class living paycheck to paycheck in the smaller areas of the county, than the 30% that are homeless, living in the harder hit part of town where there are four or five families living on one home. The 69% are the one’s trying to afford the health care through the work place or doing without because we don’t qualify for the Health Care programs.

Truly affordable health care or socialized medicine is a hot debate in our area. The constituents will debate in the coffee shops or break rooms of their work, but never once think about contacting their Senator.

Peer 2

Currently, the House Floor is used in the debate process.  A committee must report a consideration of measure (The United States House of Representatives, 2017).  This measure is governed by a rule which is a simple resolution but it still must be passed by the House. This is where the debate process forms with the development of time limits and discussion on whether amendments can be introduced are among things that must be determined prior to the debate.  Each party to a debate is given a certain amount of time to speak on the measure presented.  The same goes for amendments.  Once the debate and any offered amendments have been brought forth and discussed, the House will vote whether to pass the bill or not.

In the event an opponent wants to change some portion of the bill, they must request the change however, it is still up to the House on whether the change is accepted or rejected.  Votes on final passage is conducted electronically with the responses of each House member.  The votes are entered as “yea” or “nay” or recorded by bill number, roll call, vote number, or by voice.

Looking at the transcripts from two recent first sessions by the 115th Congress, there don’t seem to be any changes to the debate rules (Office of the Clerk, 2017). I have not had any experience with debates in the past however, I feel that the guidelines for debate that are outlined by Congress are sufficient to conduct debates in the online classroom except for being able to stand to move, speak, or to vote on the main motion. Maybe presenting the question to the discussion board for this action will allow the first person to make a motion to speak and so on and so forth. This would eliminate everyone trying to present their motion at the same time. Assigning different scholars, a position to hold within the process each week will allow each to get experience in as many of the positions as possible.

            Some current issues that would be worthwhile to discuss would be the immigration ban, climate change, women’s rights, DAPL, Education, Veteran’s Administration, and the Social Security Administration.