Pelosi and McConnell disallow unapproved legislative alternatives with parliamentary tricks: they allow a vote only if the provision is harmless, sure to support their own position or guaranteed to fail if it is problematic.   A controversial vote with an unknown, if not unapproved, outcome is extremely rare.   Policy diktats are seldom altered, once decided.  Determined nonconformists are isolated from positions of influence, have their pork requests vetoed, are denied party controlled campaign funding, and/or get “primary-ed.” More

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