19 votes
Accepted

Are states required to divide into congressional districts?

Q: Are states required to divide into congressional districts? Yes. 2 U.S. Code § 2c - Number of Congressional Districts; number of Representatives from each District In each State entitled in the ...
Rick Smith's user avatar
17 votes

Origin & purpose of the "magic minute" floor speech in the US House and why would Minority Leader Hakim Jeffries use one to delay the vote by an hour?

I'm not sure of the exact origin of the practice (or of the term), but essentially the "magic minute" allows party leaders in the House to speak as much as they want. The magic minute, or ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 134k
10 votes

Can the US House function without a speaker?

Q: Can the US House function without a speaker? For a while. There is a House rule for a vacancy in the Office of Speaker allowing the business of the House to continue until the election of a new ...
Rick Smith's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

Can the U.S. government suspend the trading of a stock at any time?

The federal securities laws allow the SEC to suspend trading in any stock for up to ten trading days when the SEC determines that a trading suspension is required in the public interest and for the ...
dm63's user avatar
  • 186
4 votes

Secret Service Safeguards for Incarcerated Ex-U.S. Presidents

As I understand it, if someone protected by the Secret Service were to be sentenced to jail or prison time, the Secret Service would pass protective duties on to the agency or institution handling the ...
Ted Wrigley's user avatar
  • 65.2k
4 votes

Election disruption caused by ballot typographic error or omission

The Canadian town next door to me voided an election for school board trustees after it was discovered two candidates were left off the ballot. A special election was called a month later. I believe ...
DJClayworth's user avatar
  • 14.7k
3 votes

Election disruption caused by ballot typographic error or omission

Since you asked for anecdotes... About 25 years ago, I was a member of an electoral comission for the student's parliament at a German university. (These parliaments are prescribed by state law.) As ...
ccprog's user avatar
  • 4,363
3 votes

Secrecy of House Votes for Member Safety

Q: Under what circumstances, if any, does the House of Representatives have the authority or mechanisms to conduct votes in secrecy? None. It is easy to forget that the Constitution is an order by the ...
Rick Smith's user avatar
2 votes
Accepted

What are the factors that would make it difficult for the U.S. government to block Huawei's patent lawsuits in the U.S.?

Is it possible legally for the U.S. to block Huawei from filling U.S. patents? I am thinking this is highly illegal [...] Maybe. The closest thing that comes to mind is that it might violate TRIPS ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 134k
2 votes

Has the US government ever managed to cut 30% of its budget?

Question: Has the US government ever managed to cut 30% of its budget? Short Answer: Across the board, in one year? yes in both 1945 and 1946. Answer According to Federal Budget Receipts and Outlays ...
JMS's user avatar
  • 3,098
2 votes

Secret Service Safeguards for Incarcerated Ex-U.S. Presidents

Since you asked on Politics Stack Exchange rather than Law Stack Exchange, the answer would have to look at political angles. The US did imprison the former CSA President, Jefferson Davis. He was ...
o.m.'s user avatar
  • 105k
2 votes

What are the issues and solution, regarding the looming U.S. Government shutdown at 12:01 am Sunday Oct 1st?

IDK about solutions, but one issue, which some might have predicted given how hard it was for McCarthy to get his gavel despite the nominal majority of his party, is that the "hard-right" of ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 134k
2 votes
Accepted

Can the US House function without a speaker?

Well, the first (and perhaps least obvious) point is the House sets the rules for the House. It's conceivable that the House could propose and pass a resolution allowing certain business to be ...
Ted Wrigley's user avatar
  • 65.2k
1 vote

What has been the impact on US military manufacturers vis-a-vis the war in Ukraine

Question: What has been the impact on US military manufacturers vis-a-vis the war in Ukraine Short Answer The Answer is the $46.6 billion total US Military aid to Ukraine has had a negligible impact ...
JMS's user avatar
  • 3,098
1 vote

What has been the impact on US military manufacturers vis-a-vis the war in Ukraine

TL;DR Seems a mix of both from stock, manufacturers via DoD, and refurb Soviet stock from other sources. This appears to have shifted from the beginning of the war to where it is now: At the beginning ...
blobbymcblobby's user avatar
1 vote

Downsides to, or pitfalls of legislation that produces a permanent end to government shutdown threats in the US?

Question: What would be the downside(s) to or pitfalls of legislation that produces a permanent end to government shutdown threats in the US? It depends on what the mechanism you chose for ...
user121330's user avatar

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