THE ‘UNIT RULE’, OUTLAWED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY 50 YEARS AGO, RESURFACES AS A TOOL TO SUPPRESS MODERATES IN THE G.O.P.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

The ‘unit rule’, which forces dissenting votes to cast their lot with the majority in a bloc, is the major tool being used by GOP Conservatives in the State Senate to block passage of the State’s budget.

While there may, indeed, be two Republican Senators ready to vote for the budget because they agree with it, because of district considerations, as a favor to the Governor, and so on – their votes are stifled by the imposition of the ‘unit rule’.

In the 50’s and 60’s the Southern delegations to the Democratic National Convention used it to cast unanimous votes against platform proposals that would extend civil rights to African-Americans. This ugly practice ended in 1968 at the insistence of Hubert Humphrey.

You can see the political convenience in using the “unit rule”. Republicans can run moderate candidates who espouse causes that are popular but anathema to conservatives. Restrictions on concealed firearms. Keeping reproductive choice off the lawbooks. Raising sin taxes.