Were we all taught our government wrong in school?

[BumRushDaShow]

5. That's the way it is supposed to work except that you also have this in the Constitution

Article I

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Section 5.

Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

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https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei

So in the case of the underlined portion, the Senate has this -



https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-RIDDICK-1992/GPO-RIDDICK-1992-1/context

It's pretty fascinating actually, but it is used to fill in gaps in the Constitution - at least in the Senate. To try to "teach" about the (often obcure) rules of each chamber of Congress in the primary/secondary grades would be impossible. I expect anyone who would even try to go through it in undergrad/grad/post-grad/law school would have a dickens of a time. Most Senators have no clue either which is why they have a Parliamentarian. The Senators that are aware of some these rules, often use them to get what they want (like Turtle has and like Harry Reid had done in the past).