Here's how to get a dubious Bill into Law, or at least past the U.S. House

[Teresa Heilevang]

Here's how to get a dubious bill into law, or at least past the U.S. House of Representatives, which of late has deserved to be called the lower chamber:

-- First, make the bill long.  Very long.  So long no one may actually read it, supporters or opponents. Introduce a 310-page horse-choker of an amendment at 3 in the morning on the day of the roll-call vote.  So it can't be examined too closely or too long.  Only after the bill passes may its true costs emerge. ...

-- Make sure that the bill itself, which was already 1,200 pages long before this super-sized amendment was added, surpasseth all understanding.  (Which may be the only thing it has in common with the peace of God.) ...

-- Insert all kinds of exceptions into the bill so those special interests that stand to benefit by them -- whether regional, economic or ideological -- will join the stampede.

-- Coat the bill and the campaign for it with high-sounding sloganspeak, if not hysteria.  Warn that The End Is Near unless this bill is passed, at least if you consider the year 2100 near. ...

-- If necessary, change the subject at the last minute.  Say, from climate change to creating jobs.  And, hesto presto, though the vote may be close (219 to 212), a confusing bill can be on its way to becoming even more confusing law. Which is just what happened the other day in the U.S. House of Representatives. ...

-- Forget the actual content of the bill, since few if any can understand it anyway.  Instead, just recite talking points.  It's a lot easier than actually thinking. ... Whoever said you never want to see sausage made or laws passed did a grave injustice to sausage-makers, who are surely engaged in a much more wholesome enterprise.

***The--Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editor Paul Greenberg


The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is a daily newspaper in Little Rock, Arkansas,..  covering local news, sports, business, jobs, and community events.  The newspaper is published seven days a week with a daily circulation of 182,200.  It is one of the largest circulation newspapers in the USA, ranked 54th out of the top 100 in the US. http://www.mondonewspapers.com/circulation/usatop100.html

[m25operator]

Too true, but not new, remember the crime bill from the Clinton era, I called congressman in New York, of course got only their aids, but the end result was " has the congressman read the bill, NO, but he thinks it has to start somewhere, I said it is over a thousand pages, and he has not read it? No, but its a good start. "  The BO promise of 5 days to examine a bill seems to be moot. I think it should be 5 days for every 200 pages personally, and mandatory reading before you vote.

[Kid Shelleen]

Too true, but not new, remember the crime bill from the Clinton era, I called congressman in New York, of course got only their aids, but the end result was " has the congressman read the bill, NO, but he thinks it has to start somewhere, I said it is over a thousand pages, and he has not read it? No, but its a good start. "  The BO promise of 5 days to examine a bill seems to be moot. I think it should be 5 days for every 200 pages personally, and mandatory reading before you vote.

+ 100000000000000000. Novel concept.

[tombogan03884]

They need to be read PUBLICLY, those sleaze balls would just lie like they do on their financial reports. Where did  The socialist illegal alien bastard get the $360 MILLION he used to buy the election ?

[Kid Shelleen]

They need to be read PUBLICLY, those sleaze balls would just lie like they do on their financial reports. Where did  The socialist illegal alien bastard get the $360 MILLION he used to buy the election ?

Two of the ugliest words in the English language when combined......George and Soros.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Two of the ugliest words in the English language when combined......George and Soros.

Remember all those "Obama" shirts in Gaza ?

[Kid Shelleen]

Remember all those "Obama" shirts in Gaza ?

نحن نحب أوباما

Arabic for:  "We love Obama"

[runstowin]

I wonder how many cogress critters read the USA Patriot Act? I bet it was zero.
I wonder who wrote this bill, and who wrote the bill that is the subject of this thread?

[tombogan03884]

I wonder how many cogress critters read the USA Patriot Act? I bet it was zero.
I wonder who wrote this bill, and who wrote the bill that is the subject of this thread?

Probably the same people. The (elected) front men change but the aides, staffers, and bureaucrats remain largely unchanged.

[runstowin]

Probably the same people. The (elected) front men change but the aides, staffers, and bureaucrats remain largely unchanged.

Agreed.