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Leaders ought to read bills before voting

Saturday, July 4, 2009

(Updated 3:00 am)

As a concerned American, I am sick and tired of our politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, passing legislation they have not read. Voting on 10-page or 1,300-page bills that nobody reads is an outrageous dereliction of duty and an insult to the American people.

I propose a simple piece of legislation that all politicians will be able to read. It is only one sentence: No congressman or senator may cast a vote on any proposed legislation unless he/she has read it.

I don’t know how many would sign on, but then we still have an opportunity to vote them out. Get with it, America. We must address this atrocity.

W. David Stedman
Winston-Salem

What do you think?

11 comment(s)

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J D R

July 4, 2009 - 6:28 am EDT

I'd be OK with limiting the page-count.

zeus80

July 4, 2009 - 6:39 am EDT

Mr Stedman, So they "sign on" to your suggestion. Then the problem is: How do we know for sure that they will follow the suggestion they "signed on?" And btw, most likely, "special interests" direct most of them "how to vote" any way. So they don't need to "read the bills." Sad, isn't it? Maybe, most of the time. But, not necessarily, all of the time! OK?.

tledford

July 6, 2009 - 8:43 pm EDT

Hell, "special interests" write the bills! The bankruptcy bill of 2005 was written by MBNA!

Why should they READ the bills when their MASTERS TELL THEM WHAT IS IN IT?

danagain

July 4, 2009 - 8:19 am EDT

Good letter Mr. Stedman. It is difficult to read all these bills as they are so stuffed with pork and other legislation not related to the general legislation.

neocon

July 4, 2009 - 8:42 am EDT

Mr. Stewart, the cockroach like politicians that now infest government at all levels are a reflection of the apathy that has plagued this country for the last 40 years or so. With only 1/3 of Americans being capable of naming the three branches of government, but 3/4 being able to name a judge on 'American Idol', it's no great surprise that the politicians don't read what they sign. They rely on 'staffers' to sift through a bill and find out if it will help them get re-elected or not, or at least not help their political enemies. They also rely heavily on the apathy of the country to be unable to process the information in a bill and it's potential effect on their everyday lives and just say "oh well, if hopenchange says it good for me, it must be good for me". Pitiful.

I would love to have the opportunity to pick out a few names at random of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, bring them here today, and get their opinions on Bonnie Fwank, Harry Reid, Nancy P. louse, and B. Hussein Obama.

I wonder if it would give them pause about putting their lives on the line for what the country has morphed into today?

J D R

July 4, 2009 - 8:55 am EDT

"They rely on 'staffers' to sift through a bill and find out if it will help them get re-elected or not, or at least not help their political enemies."

a-freaking men.

"They also rely heavily on the apathy of the country ... "

Not to mention push button issues. I'd love to see a candidate stand on the simple all-or-nothing platform of:

1 - Eliminate Social Security and Medicace - the entire 15.3% tax taken from those making under $108,000 / year, and,
2 - Unlimited Abortions - heck let's go all the way to 2-months old; by then you should have a feel whether "it" will become a viable producer.

"I would love to have the opportunity to pick out a few names at random of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, bring them here today, and get their opinions on Bonnie Fwank, Harry Reid, Nancy P. louse, and B. Hussein Obama".

None others, Mr. Fair and Balanced?

neocon

July 4, 2009 - 9:07 am EDT

Alright, alright...
.
.

.
Mark Sanford...K?

J D R

July 4, 2009 - 9:29 am EDT

.. Ben Franklin would have understood.

tledford

July 6, 2009 - 8:48 pm EDT

It's far more simple than this. There is no need for them to read the bills because they are told how to vote on the bills by their masters, the ones who provides the millions of dollars they require to win reelection.

Take that out of the equation and you have a point to make, otherwise none whatsoever.

(Edit: JDR, that last sentence was for the OP, not your comment.)

zeus80

July 4, 2009 - 3:43 pm EDT

Very, very amusing post, neocon! One of your best! And it proves beyond a doubt that you have on this site the corner on the obsessive loony market! (BTW, I hear that Rush needs another writer!) And -- Happy 4th, good buddy!

danagain

July 4, 2009 - 4:59 pm EDT

Nice post truman...errr....zeus, it remains to be seen how long you can hold out on the same kind of insults that got the truman name banned. It must be difficult for you to refrain.