I don't know how the Speaker of the House gets that post. Does the House VOTE on the issue or are they?
957081
They are voted in by the majority party of the House.\nIf the Dems take the house. Pelosi will be the speaker of the House.
1153503
It isn't in place yet.  The Senate passed one version, the House passed a different one.  The Senate will give theirs to the House to see if they can negotiate one bill for all of Congress to vote on.  If they can't, it will not go further.  Meanwhile other people are sponsoring new legislation to see if that is better or more popular.
563466
Perhaps your first question should be, "What do committees do?"  \nThe committee chairman is a little like the Speaker of the House.  Part of what s/he does is set up the agenda for the committee, manages the committee, and guides it to do the following:\n1) how to investigate a proposed bill in committee should have\n2) how much investigating a proposed bill \n3) if or how a proposed bill should be modified\n4) if the committee should vote to kill "bill" or allow it to be scheduled for floor.
728686
Real issues. Party matters not at all. As for morals/values. I wouldn't trust any politician to try to tell me about morals. If I'm voting on the morals they stand for, I want nothing to do with it.
945259
I don't believe the chair can make a motion. As the chair you are supposed to preside with impartiality though you are allowed to vote on motions or use your vote as a tie breaker. I couldn't find a reference for it in Robert's Rules or The Main Motion. But, in every organization I've been in it was out of order for the chair to actually make a motion.\nI'm wondering if that is something written that's into the By-Laws or Constitution of the organization and that's why we can't find mention in Robert's. Still.... it isn't good form for the chair to introduce a motion. They should get a like minded member to do it instead so as to preserve the impartiality of the chair.
732575
They can't go with the real issues because they are lost in what to do about it. Reps can only hope to get their evangelicals motivated to vote for only one issue: gay marriage. It seems stupid to me to affiliate yourself to a party only because of a single issue. Dems talk about real issues and reps want trivial issues.
831676
The Speaker of the House is important because he controls the Congress particularly in addressing the national issues properly to make good laws.  Likewise, the Speaker plays a great role in government and could even be President when the President, Vice President and Senate President are all incapacitated.
1088797
Practically? Yes.\n\nThey discuss what they should vote on. They 'make stuff' to vote on and they vote. That's about it if you want the very simplistic version.\n\nIt is called representing the voter. You (if you did that) voted for that man or woman so he/she can represent you in congress. It is your congressperson. The only power he/she has is the vote realistically speaking.\n\nBut.. to be able to vote they have to know whats going on so... 99% of the time they sift though tons of information to at least seem informed. They fight of lobbyists.. or have dinner with them. Get hounded by the press because they said something stupid.\n\nBut basically you are right. What a senator is there for is to vote.
1006302
Sad to report that neither thinks it is important enough to make an issue. The Republicans are in bed with business for cheap labor, and the Democrats see them as an oppressed people just trying to make a bettor life for them selves. Until our system collapses under the weight of having to build an infrastructure to handle this influx, we will have to sit and watch our Government do nothing. The way to get some action is to vote every incumbent that has not taken action right out of their cushy jobs and get some new blood in there that really represents the people. It won't be easy because most politicians will say what they think you want to hear, but go on line and look at voting records of our Senate and House of Representatives and blow the ones out that have taken no action.
826197
If citizens voted on all of the issues, what would Congress do?  They're put in office to represent their district's votes.  If people voted on every issue (good luck with that), then it makes Congress useless.
970928
I think it's either the Speaker of the House or the Secretary of State.
86638
Sure they could. It's called voting. People need to direct more thought into voting. The American people vote their representatives into office, who in turn get to make the laws and vote for the President. Too many people sit idly by and don't make sure their voices are heard. Whenever there is an issue that I strongly have an opinion about, I make sure to call my Representative's office-be it a local, state, or Federal issue. This is the only way to make sure your opinion gets recorded! They are your elected reps. and are there for you, to vote according to the people of their districts. Signatures on a petition are just an amplification of this. Also, if more people who disagree with the system and would take action to run for office can you imagine the changes that would ocurr? I'm not saying any nutjob can get elected, but if you make sense and others agree with you then why not give it a try? People need to realize they are vested in the actions of this country whether they agree with them or not. We need to eliminate the people from office who do not represent our views as a whole. Our society needs to take action! Stop saying "It doesn't matter when I vote, so I'm not going to vote". That kind of attitude is what's gotten our system into the sorry mess it's in now. If you don't vote or take action, others who do vote will get control of things & quite possibly do things you don't agree with.
949460
In the United States, \nin the U.S. House of Representatives \nand in state legislatures and local government councils, \nthe speaker is usually SELECTED \nby the members of the majority party \nand functions as a leader of that party. \n\nThus, though the speaker is expected to be fair, \nhe or she uses procedural rulings \nto advance the causes and agenda of his or her own party.\n\nCeremonially, the speaker may represent the whole house, \nbut politically he or she is the legislative voice \nof the party in power.\n\nThe Speaker of the House of Representatives \nin the U.S. Congress \nis second in line for succession to the presidency: \nshould the president and vice president be unable to serve, \nthe speaker becomes president.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_House#United_States
642509
Get in touch with your Congressmen, particularly in the House.  This is very much a real debate, and they are looking to the voters.
414481
I don't get the of your question.  Her sercies in the House of Representatives and he's and elected official in that sense.  How are you defining "official"?
51001
No, you are not required to participate, but they really bug you if you don't respond. It's pretty essential for our government, especially since representation in the House is decided by the Census.
786390
The Speaker of the House is the Representative who is the highest ranking member of the majority party.  Since Nancy Pelosi was the leading Democrat in the House she becomes Speaker by virtue of the Democrats gaining majority control of the House. The ranking member is selected by the members of their party.