Skill Level: 🟢 Beginner
What This Is
Authoritarians thrive on spectacle. Democracy survives on procedure. This guide shows you how to use the most boring tools in government—votes, calendars, committees, and rules—to expose corruption, sabotage bad faith actors, and slow damage in real time.
Why It Matters
When Republicans block votes, dodge hearings, or hide behind “process,” they’re betting you won’t notice. Tracking procedure is how you prove who killed healthcare, who dodged accountability, and who is lying about “not having the votes.”
How to Do It (Step-by-Step)
- Follow the calendar, not the headlines
Bookmark GovTrack, Congress.gov, and House/Senate schedules.
If something isn’t scheduled, that’s often the story. - Learn three magic phrases
- “Blocked from floor consideration”
- “Ruled out of order”
- “Pulled by leadership”
These are how bad actors kill bills without voting no.
- Track who asked for the block
It’s almost always leadership or committee chairs. Name them. - Translate it into human language
Example:“House Republicans blocked a vote” = “They raised your insurance premiums on purpose.” - Post the receipt, not the rant
Screenshot the schedule. Link the bill. Quote the rule. Let facts do the damage. - Use procedure to corner reps publicly
Ask:“If you support this policy, why didn’t you allow a vote?”
There is no good answer. - Repeat weekly
Procedure abuse only works when it’s invisible. Make it visible.
Example
Blocking a vote on ACA subsidies isn’t neutrality—it’s a deliberate choice to let costs spike without fingerprints.