MICROBYTE: What the hell is a Parliamentarian?

Okay, now we are deep into Nerdsville. My guess is that up until last week, when the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, threw cold water on the administration’s Big Beautiful Bill, not one in a hundred thousand Americans had ever heard of a Senate Parliamentarian. 

• The job was created in 1935.

• The Parliamentarian is appointed by the Speaker of the House. (Elizabeth MacDonough was appointed by the then-Speaker of the House, Harry Reid, in 2012).

• Her job has been described as “The rule expert who keeps the Senate from breaking its own rules, kind of like a referee or judge for the game of lawmaking.”

• She sits on the dias during sessions and advises the presiding officer on the appropriate procedure, wording of motions, and how to interpret Senate rules and precedents.

• The parliamentarian helps senators understand the Senate's standing rules, precedents, and how they apply to specific legislative actions. 

• The parliamentarian plays a crucial role in budget reconciliation, advising on whether provisions within a bill comply with the Byrd Rule (which limits what can be included in budget reconciliation bills).

• The parliamentarian also refers legislation to the appropriate Senate committees on behalf of the presiding officer.

• The parliamentarian is a nonpartisan position, meaning they provide advice based on established rules and precedents, not based on party affiliation. 

• Bottom line: The Parliamentarian has the go or no-go power to heavily influence what can become law in America.

(Editor’s confession: This is so hopelessly complex that I had to resort to AI for advise. No wonder things move slowly in the Senate!)

MICROBYTE: Do protests work?

As far as our founders were concerned, the right to protest peacefully was more than just an American privilege; it’s an American citizen's responsibility. 

Although not explicitly called a right to protest in the Constitution, it’s understood to be protected under the First Amendment as a combination of the Right to Petition the government for a redress of grievances, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of Assembly.

Here are a few that shaped the country we’re living in today:

• March for Our Lives, 2018. (City: Washington, D.C. Date: March 24, 2018. Leaders: Survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Outcome: Changes in Florida’s gun laws raised national awareness of gun violence.)

• Occupation of Alcatraz 1969-1971. City: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California. Date: November 20, 1969 – June 11, 1971. Leaders: Native American activists.Outcome: Raised awareness about Native American rights and contributed to the end of the Indian Termination Policy.

• Stonewall Demonstrations. (City: New York City, New York. Date: June 28, 1969. Leaders: Spontaneous, community-led. Outcome: Formation of gay rights organizations, annual Pride marches, significant advancement in LGBTQ+ rights and awareness.

• Kent State Shootings. (City: Kent, Ohio. Date: May 4, 1970. Leaders: Student activists. Outcome: Sparked nationwide protests, increased opposition to the Vietnam War, highlighted deep national divisions.)

• Anti-Nuclear March. (City: Washington, D.C. Date: May 6, 1979. Leaders: Anti-nuclear activists. Outcome: Raised awareness about nuclear dangers, influenced public opinion, and policy.)

• The March on Washington for jobs and freedom. (City: Washington, D.C. Date: August 28, 1963, Leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders. Outcome: Key role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.)

• Bonus Army March. (City: Washington, D.C. Date: Summer of 1932. Leaders: World War I veterans. Outcome: Highlighted the struggles of veterans and influenced future veterans’ benefits policies.)

• Women’s Suffrage Parade. (City: Washington, D.C. Date: March 3, 1913, Leaders: Alice Paul and the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Outcome: Increased national support for women’s suffrage, led to the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.)

• The Boston Tea Party. (City: Boston, Massachusetts. Date: December 16, 1773. Leaders: American colonists. Outcome: Provoked British punitive measures, a catalyst for the American Revolution.)

• Civil Rights Movement Marches in Alabama. (City: Various cities in Alabama (Birmingham, Selma). Date: 1963-1965. Leaders: Civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. Outcome: Significant civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.)

WHERE LAW ENDS. Inside the Mueller Investigation. (Andrew Weismann, Random House Pub.)

It seems like a hundred years ago. But for 22 months, beginning in 2017, the Mueller Investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Election dominated the media, and Americans tuned in. 

As a Federal Prosecutor for 15 years in the Eastern District of New York, Weismann prosecuted numerous members of the Colombo, Gambino, and Genovese crime families. On June 19 of that year signed on as one of Mueller’s key prosecutors. As an Amazon Associate, we earn commission from qualifying purchases.

Jimmy Kimmel: “Americans are gearing up for the Fourth of July, or as we call it, ‘The Day We Pretend to Know How to Grill.’ If you see smoke, it’s either fireworks or Uncle Bob’s famous ‘well-done’ burgers.”