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defrogITEM: Political groups are demanding that Congress pass legislation requiring Congress to actually read any legislation it intends to pass.
The reason: the fact that recent legislation like the stimulus bill, global warming bill and the upcoming health care bill are so ridiculously long that it’s doubtful any of the Congresscritters have ever read them in full.
Note that one of the groups – LetFreedomRing – is conservative, and thus trying to make this look as though this is a primarily the fault of Democrats. It’s not. Both sides are guilty of pushing and passing long bills stuffed with bad ideas and/or irrelevant pork (see: the Patriot Act, and the credit-card reform bill that also makes it legal to carry guns in national parks, etc).
Which is why I suggest ignoring the partisan rhetoric, because it IS a problem, and has been for a very long time. Even Investor’s Business Daily – which supports the Read The Bill bill and also implies that the Democrats are the main perps – provides some interesting perspective nonetheless:
Maybe it’s not realistic to keep any bill down to that length, and I’m sure our already insanely complex legal system is partly to blame. On the other hand, when yr hiring speed readers to go through yr own bills to see what’s in them, it’s probably time for a rethink.
Read ‘em and weep,
This is dF
The reason: the fact that recent legislation like the stimulus bill, global warming bill and the upcoming health care bill are so ridiculously long that it’s doubtful any of the Congresscritters have ever read them in full.
Note that one of the groups – LetFreedomRing – is conservative, and thus trying to make this look as though this is a primarily the fault of Democrats. It’s not. Both sides are guilty of pushing and passing long bills stuffed with bad ideas and/or irrelevant pork (see: the Patriot Act, and the credit-card reform bill that also makes it legal to carry guns in national parks, etc).
Which is why I suggest ignoring the partisan rhetoric, because it IS a problem, and has been for a very long time. Even Investor’s Business Daily – which supports the Read The Bill bill and also implies that the Democrats are the main perps – provides some interesting perspective nonetheless:
The Declaration of Independence, the grand document that founded our country, was written in only 1,337 words.
The Constitution, which set up the federal government and laid down its parameters, is, without the amendments and signatures, roughly 4,440 words. It is the shortest constitution in the world.
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that established personal liberties that the government cannot quash, was composed in fewer than 600 words.
The Constitution, which set up the federal government and laid down its parameters, is, without the amendments and signatures, roughly 4,440 words. It is the shortest constitution in the world.
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that established personal liberties that the government cannot quash, was composed in fewer than 600 words.
Maybe it’s not realistic to keep any bill down to that length, and I’m sure our already insanely complex legal system is partly to blame. On the other hand, when yr hiring speed readers to go through yr own bills to see what’s in them, it’s probably time for a rethink.
Read ‘em and weep,
This is dF
