# I pit "gotcha" amendments **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 27, 2017, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gotcha-amendments/792242 "2017-07-27T05:54:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gotcha-amendments/792242/1 "2017-07-27T05:54:01Z")
> **[A Democratic senator shares his 120 amendments for the GOP health bill](https://www.vox.com/2017/7/26/16038602/merkley-health-amendments-plan)** > > Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has a plan to force Republicans to take more than 100 wildly unpopular votes on their health bill. Jeff Merkley is going to get Republicans on record as opposing Medicaid for Vietnam vets. And various other awful sounding amendments whose actual purpose is to send the repeal bill back to committee. I don’t want to single out Merkley here so much as the practice. Harry Reid dealt with this practice by simply not allowing amendments he didn’t approve. He’d fill up the “amendment tree” with BS Reid amendments and any legit amendments fellow Democrats proposed, while Republicans were mostly shut out from offering amendments. Mostly, this was to prevent Republicans from proposing amendments to do things like get Democrats to vote against Viagra for sexual predators(an amendment they actually did get through). It’s time to start punishing Congresscritters who use these tactics, rather than the Congressmen who have to vote on these poison pill amendments. Jeff Merkley is normally a good Senator and I understand why he’s doing what he’s doing. The GOP effort to repeal and replace is utter crap and is only going to make things worse. But this tactic is distasteful and unacceptable and really should be ended. Merkley deseves bad publicity for this, rather than applause from Vox. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gotcha-amendments/792242/2 "2017-07-27T06:07:55Z")
I get not liking bad tactics, but I’m not sure I understand getting angry enough to Pit them when they’re being used for a good cause. I mean, sure, if you were someone who was just really, really invested in proper procedure, I’d get it. But this? I’d more expect this to be a Great Debate about whether these types of tactics are good or not. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gotcha-amendments/792242/3 "2017-07-27T06:10:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Harry Reid dealt with this practice by simply not allowing amendments he didn’t approve. I don’t think this is possible with a reconciliation bill. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gotcha-amendments/792242/4 "2017-07-27T06:13:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I get not liking bad tactics, but I’m not sure I understand getting angry enough to Pit them when they’re being used for a good cause. I mean, sure, if you were someone who was just really, really invested in proper procedure, I’d get it. But this? > > I’d more expect this to be a Great Debate about whether these types of tactics are good or not. If I didn’t think he’d use this tactic even if the repeal bill was actually good, I might not pit it.