The Constitution is not a suicide pact. During the unprecedented #COVID__19 pandemic, Congress (and its state counterparts) must be able to continue to play their essential role. It’s sad that we can’t seem to come together even around this basic principle.
The rules Leader McCarthy is suing to overturn do not allow one member to “control” another’s vote, as he argues. They allow the member who is present to cast the vote of the absent member pursuant to the absent member’s specific instructions. Big difference
As @VBass and I argued in a paper released last week, proxy voting isn’t ideal under ordinary circumstances, but it’s an acceptable short-term solution (full virtual session a la the British and Canadian parliaments would be even better) brennancenter.org/our-work/resea…
These solutions are perfectly constitutional, practically feasible, and enjoy bipartisan support, as laid in out in the many excellent resources compiled here continuityofcongress.org
At a time when the executive seems determined to hobble other sources of independent oversight, including over its response to the #COVID__19 pandemic, we must have a fully operational legislative branch.
