The Selection Of The President Pro Tempore of the US Senate- Part One (By Harsha Sankar)

 

The Selection Of The President Pro Tempore of the US Senate- Part One

The passage of the U.S. Constitution regarding this position: 

[Article I, Section 3, Clause 5

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.] 

The US Constitution is clear and for good reason. The Senate can only choose their officers,including the President Pro Tempore, to serve only when the Vice-President is absent. Currently the U.S. Senate are choosing their officers on a permanent basis. This practice is not acceptable because it makes the U.S. Senate hierarchical and non-representative. For the Representative Republic Ideal to work, all senators must have equal amount of authority. It should be one Senator, one vote. All senators must have input on all matters. 

The US Constitution bans committees since they are used on a permanent basis. Committees are hierarchical in nature as they are led by chairpersons and ranking members. 

Cliff Notes Version: If Senate members are chosen as officers, the Senate becomes hierarchical and non-representative. It is important non-members be chosen as officers of that legislative body.

While the House Of Representatives became a little more political, a little more federal, and a little more powerful since the aftermath of the Civil War, the US Senate was fundamentally transformed. Instead of working under the consent and auspices of the federal legislature, the US Senate became an autonomous federal legislative body answerable to the People only.

Since they changed so much in scope, nature, and magnitude, it is imperative that their officers, mainly the President Pro Tempore, temporarily serve only when the Vice-President is absent. The Senate should not have officers serve when the VP(duly elected or acting) is normally serving.