READ THE BILL
Jul 27th, 2009 by MariaEvans
Yeah, you heard me, stick Congress in Study Hall, turn them into responsible legislators.
Rep. John Conyers finally admitted what we already knew, that our elected officials on Capital Hill don’t read those pesky pieces of paper that turn into laws and taxes and even wars because it’s just too darn hard:
“I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill,’” said Conyers.
“What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”
I say enough is enough, you people (yes, I said, “you people” and I mean it) wanted to be in Congress and the Senate, well, it’s time for you to know what you’re voting on. It’s time that you start doing your homework instead of having lackeys and lobbyists do it for you….
That’s why I’m proposing that all Representatives and Senators attend a mandatory, Study Hall from 9am to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so they can actually read legislation and brush up on the facts. No cell phones, no staff, no Instant Messaging, no horseplay…just good old fashioned learning. Maybe when they go on their breaks from session, they can go home with reading lists so when they come back, they’ll be ready to hit the ground running….
And no, the Study Hall won’t be run by lobbyists and special interest groups, I was thinking more along the lines of retired grade school teachers that aren’t shy when it comes to using the ruler…or maybe Helen Thomas….
Until the tax code is changed to do away with the influence of Congress on the tax code nothing will change. About 80% of Lobbying has to do with the tax code, over 3,000 changes since 2000. Also, lobbyists are smarter than most members of Congress.
Term limits, please.
Mike Protack
I couldn’t agree with you more Mike that tax reform is the key to getting change.
Point two, not so much–If lobbyists are smarter than politicians, wouldn’t term limits make things worse? When the pols finally start to catch on, you toss new ones in the mix. If you want to see how that works, look at CA, AZ, and other areas with it.
The post itself is a breath of fresh air.
Conyers is actually right. When I read part of a bill, I then have to cross reference it with the laws that it is changing. That takes longer than reading the bill. What’s the solution? Give them the extra two days on important legislation to research. It is almost like the little boy who says, “Doctor, everytime I touch the wood stove, I burn my hand”. The Doctor would say, “then stop touching the wood stove.” I say stop this deceptive way of designing legislation. Don’t let a bill out of committee that you don’t understand. You people have the power, stop whining and use it.
Perhaps we need to send some people to Congress who will work to repeal bad laws rather than pass more of the same.
Sounds like the start of a good plan Art. It seems like after we sent the people to Congress we have to follow them there, otherwise things tend to slide back into business as usual.
Art-this whole “making government smaller” thingie, somehow I’m sensing the Democrat majority isn’t going to go for it….
And Tim, we don’t need to “follow them” to DC, we need to follow what they do once they get to DC, and let them know what we think about it by phoning their offices, going to their town meetings, writing letters to the editor and, of course, blogging.
” going to their town meetings”…Whem is the last time Yom Carper had a town meeting ?
” going to their town meetings”…Whem is the last time Tom Carper had a town meeting ?
Sorry about that LOL, its only 6:30 AM
Since Congressmen swear to uphold the Constitution, maybe they should read Article I., Section 8., and the last four paragraphs of Madison’s Federalist #41. Most of what Congress does is not permitted by the Constitution, but they justify their actions under the ‘General Welfare’ clause, without giving any notice whatsoever to Madison’s caveat.