Why and how does Francis Underwood do that in the Senate?
In S2, E3, House of Cards, Francis Underwood attempts to pass a bill about delaying the retirement age with the Republicans (entitlement amendment); who initially agree to cooperate but later change their mind.
In response, Francis Underwood cuts deals with a few Republican Senators below the table and walks into the Senate and starts asking Sergeant at arms / Jury to call names and chase off the senators who are opposing him from the Senate. I believe this is called a quorum. During this name calling process, senators are walking in and out of the Senate.
Then the remaining opposing senators are arrested and put in a room. In a few moments, they are bound and carried back to the Senate.
I do not understand the political background of this scene and how exactly Francis Underwood manipulates this situation to his favour.
Best Answer
After watching this ep a couple of more times, I got it:
- Francis needs a majority vote in the Senate in order to pass a bill
- Francis goes under the table and cuts deals with a few senators so that he will get his majority votes
- The moment he walks in the Senate, Francis demands a quorum to be initiated at once; knowing Francis has got the upper hand the republican senators start walking out in order to reduce the total number of republican senators to be less than legally required six
- Francis asks the remaining senators to vote on whether the republican senators are to be arrested; it passes, Sergeant at Arms proceeds to arrest and compel them from the Senate
- Realising they cannot win, the republican majority speaker yields and organises six republican senators to return to the Senate so that the bill can be passed.
- Francis succeeds in passing the bill in the Senate
This scene is based on an obscure parliamentary rule, which is given to Francis by one of his advisors.
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