Texas Democrats Are Embracing a Strategy From 1787
Denying the majority a quorum is a long tradition that dates to America’s founding.
Texas state House Democrats engaging in a long tradition.
Photographer: Alex Wong/Getty Images North AmericaCritics are having a lot of fun with this week’s walkout of Democratic legislators in Texas, a successful effort to deny a quorum and prevent a vote on restrictive election legislation. Although presented as outrageous and strange, the maneuver is an old American tradition, with historical antecedents stretching back to the nation’s founding.
The requirement of a quorum to do business has long been a feature of most legislative bodies. Many require the presence of a supermajority of members — 60% or even two-thirds — in order to do business. The theory is that legislative action shouldn’t be taken unless enough members are present to enable thorough debate.