No Pork, No Side Issues and No Riders! »
Posted by: populist 1 year, 1 month agoThe three greatest threats to the Constitution are the Executive, the Legislative, and Judicial Branches. All of the things that We the People have worked for, fought for, and died for, are being destroyed by politicians who neglect their oath of office and trample upon the Constitution every day! The Read the Bills Act will stop this.
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jordan111 year, 1 month ago
We'll have to see if this bill makes it through. Might get interesting. It's rather numbing to think it even has to be said.
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TOtheMOON1 year, 1 month ago
Now this just takes all of the fun out of being in Congress! Geeze...
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jovial1 year, 1 month ago
The people of this country is the only force left. All the politicians make decisions based on these premises.
1) What's in it for me?
2) How will this decision ensure that i get reelected.
3) How does it affect the major contributors to my campaign that elected me in the first place?
4) Does it agree with my party line?
5) Last and least..What will the people say/
So you can see by this list where politicians priorities are. We, the people, come in dead last.
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humemacdonald1 year, 1 month ago
I think this concept has to be extended to the whole populace. America and Canada are not going to get back on track until we start thinking as a collective again and reign in the me first attitude.
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newsquew1 year, 1 month ago
You guys bring up good points; sense of community has diminished & the effects are feltâ;¦ but, centralizing power to a Federal source removes that power and its ability to aid in self determination. Leaders are removed from accountability as individuals (families) look to a "greater source" to meet their needs, allowing these "leaders" to their focus on political survival & not their constituents. Socialist dictatorships are prime examples where the greater need surpasses the individual self interest & is doomed to failure.
There will be no change without change if people keep voting incumbents.
Begin to consider 3rd party alternatives as real options, not spoilers. Vote your conscious.
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jimbrauner1 year, 1 month ago
My friends. Your observations are exactly what former Sen. Mike Gravel (he exposed the lies of Vietnam for us and stopped the draft) speaks about and changing this is why he spend the last 15 years of his life trying to bring about the empowerment of 'The People' by making them co-lawmakers with Congress www.ni4d.us . To do that and many other things for 'The People' is why he is running for President www.gravel08.us What to do something to stop this insanity? Do what you can to make sure his voice is heard as he is the only candidate who is working for 'The People' and not all these other agendas.
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abntv1 year, 1 month ago
unless this bill is seen in the light of day (presented to the voting public) and explained in plain language by a non inside the beltway lacky..it will go nowhere..another one of those grass roots firestorms is what it will take to get this passed...I would love to see it happen though
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Amazing11 year, 1 month ago
This just plain makes sense. Aren't we always cautioned to READ the fine print before we sign a contract?
And I agree as well that there should be NO PORK and NO SIDE ISSUES.
We need statesmen/women and thinkers in Congress. We do not need hypocritical political gas bags with their eyes forever on their campaign coffers who seem to think their most important job is getting re-elected. I say, HEAR HEAR! Read the dang bills before you vote, or don't vote.
It would be interesting to know how much less our national debt would be if there had never been an earmark.
Make these puppies WORK for the PEOPLE who elected them!!
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david_nwpa1 year, 1 month ago
"How many of you would have voted for the mis-named Patriot Act, had you actually read it? How many of you would have voted for it if you had actually read and understood the Constitution of the United States and its first ten amendments, commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights?"
I would have wholeheartedly and unreservedly voted against the Patriot Act. I have been against it since its inception. The idea that the government and its law enforcement arm can violate my privacy by perusing my library and book buying records without a warrant or my consent is both repugnant and undeserving of a democracy. I would have lobbied other legislators to defeat this horrible piece of legislation which should rightly be part of Bush's horrible legacy.
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awongscreen1 year, 1 month ago
How would politicians vote differently after they read the bill? The votes of politicians are dictated by money and power which are the underlying principles of a capitalist society.
What we need is to cut the ties between money and political decisions. Kick all these politicians out of office. It will be good if that happens but history shows us that they get re-elected years after years. Perhaps we need another law to mandate that we read and understand who we are voting for before we cast our votes.
The mess we are facing now is only a reflection of stupidity and incompetence of voters and non-voters.
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david_nwpa1 year, 1 month ago
How would you propose something as complicated as an Omnibus Spending Bill would be approved by Congress? Do you suggest we pass it one line item at a time? Could we pass a budget for each department separately without lumping several together? It is in the spending bills where we find most pork.
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populist1 year, 1 month ago
That's a pretty good idea! You might be on to something - maybe we DO need to approve spending each item at a time. One short bill, x amount of dollars, name the project, yay or nay.
next.
Then they couldn't sneak in pork, riders, etc. And, we'd know just where everyone stood on each issue.
I wouldn't care how long it took them to do it either.
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nostalgia1 year, 1 month ago
They need Zero-based budgeting. It woild require that the existence of a government program or programs be justified in each fiscal year, as opposed to simply basing budgeting decisions on a previous year's funding level.
Under the current system if spending on a program is expected to increase by 5% and the increase is only 3% the politicians run to the cameras and claim the spending for the program is being CUT when in actuality it is increasing by 3% - Washington budget speak
All new departments and programs at the very least need a sunset provision to force Congress to go back peridically and re-evauate the effectiveness. Then we wouldn't be left funding items for year after year with no questions being asked
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ouijmeister1 year, 1 month ago
We already HAVE massive bureaucracy, maybe this would be a step towards curing it.
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ETproductions1 year, 1 month ago
Wow. How could anyone expect Congressmen to actually read a bill before voting on it?
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amazed1 year, 1 month ago
This is scary, populist. Not only do I agree with this article, EVERYBODY on both sides seems to agree with it. I have stated several times that bills should be one topic with a length limit and no pork barrel attached.
I think it came up during the votes to cut funds for the troops.
I think we should all write to our congresspeople to demand that they not only let this bill out of committee, but that they pass it.
As stated above, they will never do this unless they are under great pressure to do so.
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populist1 year, 1 month ago
Scary indeed. I think we all realize that we can't get everyone to agree with our positions on most issues - war, economics, government programs, etc. But, with the Read the Bills Act, at least everything would be out in the open, and we'd know just where our politicians stand.
I believe that's a really good start.
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jimbrauner1 year, 1 month ago
Yea, but it is against human nature for a representative to do what is really best for 'The People'. Check out the only answer I know of to start to correct this insanity www.ni4d.us
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lestparker1 year, 1 month ago
This seems like something that libs/cons could all get behind. I see both sides saying the same thing.. i.e. we are sick of our elected representative's behaviour. It is time we take our government back! Dont let your political affiliation take precedence over what is right. We all know the time is right, and we should unite on this issue. Use the power of the vote and of the people to take control of our future.
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GHOSTWHOWALKS1 year, 1 month ago
Great idea. Now all that needs to get done is for every one to support such a revolutionary idea. I would in a heart beat.
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queenb7271 year, 1 month ago
This seems like a good idea. My only reservation is when there is something worthwhile that needs funding, but wouldn't get enough votes on it's own. Attaching it to something else could get it through. But that obviously can, and is abused.
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JohnQPublicComment removed: User banned.2 Replies
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lestparker1 year, 1 month ago
There are so many things wrong wtih Congress, I dont want to try and fix them all right now, but it would cure a whole lot of ills if our reps were not allowed to vote on things they had not read and would not swear they had read. Of course that would require that we believe them when they swear it lol.
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Truzseeker1 year, 1 month ago
Sad that another law needs to be created requiring Congress to read something. Pathetic, just pathetic.
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CHAM1 year, 1 month ago
Amen
That we would need this law is just one more example of the pathetic level our leaders have sunk to. But the article is correct this bill must be passed to return sanity to our government.
The feature that I liked best is the one where the bill cannot become a legal enforcable law unless those who voted on it have either attended a reading session or signed (with penalty of perjury ) that they have in deed read the bill, any amendments, etc, before voting.
A bill enacted without this "Reading" is by the bill -unenforceable by law.
Great to the point story.
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Kenbearhill1 year, 1 month ago
I like the idea of keeping bills uncluttered and unencumbered. This would eliminate the ability of congress to create law with hidden agendas or to pass law without debate. Then again do we really think the debate is required? After all, Americans seem not to want to participate in government. In my home county Lane County, Oregon, ballots are mailed to all registered voters, yet in the last election May 15th, 2007, 191,113 registered voters received ballots in the mail only 85,205 or 44.85% chose to read, mark, and return those ballots. Less than half, are interested enough to read, think and let the rest of us know how they feel.
So we want to make a law that force our Representatives to what, represent us? It is obvious they do. The law we need is a law that makes all laws expire and subject to review or sunset. We should be too busy replacing what is on the books and enforcing the work of good people to have to time to write new laws.
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markmawn21 year, 1 month ago
I think Citizens shoud be able to choose how Congres spends the taxpayer's money. We need 3 categories to choose from. Each tax return filer must chose two categories:
1. Defense, Military
2. Infrastructure - roads, public facilities, water, electricitiy, etc.
3. The Commons - education, justice system, etc.
I'm pretty sure all of these will be properly funding, but by choosing two, the priorities would be evident.
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robinw19831 year, 1 month ago
I agree, but with all the bad press the war is getting, I don't think the military would be getting as much money as they need. I don't agree with it myself, but our soldiers still need to be getting paid. And has anybody noticed that senate will be passing a bill on aid for farmers, and somehow include a 50,000 dollar pay raise for themselves?
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joeblowe1 year, 1 month ago
This is an issue I have been in favor of for some time. Single issue bills. I still think it's a good idea.
However, there is ONE problem with it: the knuckleheads in Congress put PARTY above DUTY. Where there is a Republican majority Congress and a Republican President ANYTHING can get passed. So long as it is favored by REPUBLICANS. We have already seen this. In this case, the only way democrats can get something passed that the republicans don't want is to attach it to a bill they CANNOT let fail. And vice versa of course - maybe after next year. This is despicable. I'm not sure how the "READ the damn bill" legislation would help this - but at least it's a start. (I feel sorry for anyone who would have to sit in chambers while the entire annual budget bill was read... {;>))= )
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joeblowe1 year, 1 month ago
In fact, as an illustration of how this might help: I got an e-mail from Senator Obama in response to a directive I sent him to repeal the "Real Id Act" in which he allowed as how the ID act had been tacked onto a military funding bill which he felt he could not, in good conscience fail to sign. So, now we have some sort of government mandated ID law on the books. "May I see your papers please?"
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onlyonesecret1 year, 1 month ago
The Real ID Act passed with virtually no discussion or debate in the US Congress. The Congress passed this legislation in May of 2005. It was hidden inside of a huge appropriations bill â;; money for our troops in Iraq and for the Katrina victims â;; a bill that most legislators would not question or vote against.
The law takes away the rights of state legislatures and governors of states to make laws for their own states that oppose the laws of the federal government. It takes away the right of the Supreme Court to declare certain laws unconstitutional. It requires that all citizens with drivers' licenses turn them in by May of 08â;² and receive national identification cards to replace them.
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Skanderbeg1 year, 1 month ago
time to get our freedom and our country back from the criminals who manipulate and abuse the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I was told Bush called the Constitution (Just a damn piece of paper) if anyone knows where those words were used let me know.
WE the people!! Yeah! It is time the government stops treating everyone who travels like criminals, stops molesting grandmothers and children at the airports.
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Tyron1 year, 1 month ago
Great idea; but since riders are used to buy votes it will not go to far.
It would be nice to see it become law with one other - congress shall not be excluded from the laws they pass.
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