The Wizard of Beck
Keeping America Safe From the Ranters
Where Did ‘We’ Go?
The Politics of Spite
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Census and Federalism
States gear up for the 2010 Census.
Instructions: Read the attached story above. Afterwards post a comment to this post explaining how the elements of federalism apply to the story. Make sure to cite specific passages from the story and your textbook in your comment.
Instructions: Read the attached story above. Afterwards post a comment to this post explaining how the elements of federalism apply to the story. Make sure to cite specific passages from the story and your textbook in your comment.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
4 problems that could sink America
Interesting commentary in light of the current political environment.
We're uninformed:
The health care smackdown -- sorry, "debate" -- is Exhibits A, B and C.
The soaring cost of health care is a problem that affects most Americans. It's shrinking paychecks, squeezing small businesses, bankrupting families and swelling the national debt.
Yet outraged Americans seem most concerned about fictions like death panels and government-enforced euthanasia, while clinging to the myth that our current system of selective availability and perverse incentives somehow represents capitalist ideals.
But let's take a break from that burdensome issue to examine the likelihood that President Obama was born in a foreign country and hoodwinked America into believing he was eligible to run for president.
People who lack the sense to question Big Lies always end up in deep trouble. Being well informed takes work, even with the Internet. In a democracy, that's simply a civic burden. If we're too foolish or lazy to educate ourselves on health care, global warming, financial reform and other complicated issues, then we're signing ourselves over to special interests who see nothing wrong with plundering our national -- and personal -- wealth.
The iCulture:
We may be chastened by the recession, but Americans still believe they deserve the best of everything -- the best job, the best health care, the best education for our kids.
And we want it at a discount -- or better yet, free -- which brings us back to the usual disconnect between what we want and what we're willing to pay for.
Rationing is a dirty word, so we can't have a system that officially rations something as vital as health care or education. Instead, we have unacknowledged, de facto rationing that directs the most resources to those with the best connections, the most money or the savvy to game the system.
What keeps the rest of us content is the illusion that we, too, will eventually be able to game the system -- as long as the government doesn't interfere.
Solutions that serve some public good -- like Social Security and bank deposit insurance in the 1930s and Medicare in the 1960s -- usually require everybody to give something to get something. If it works, the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
Good programs leave individuals the option to pay more if they want more. Bad programs promise more than they can deliver. But often we don't know that until it's too late.
We're uninformed:
The health care smackdown -- sorry, "debate" -- is Exhibits A, B and C.
The soaring cost of health care is a problem that affects most Americans. It's shrinking paychecks, squeezing small businesses, bankrupting families and swelling the national debt.
Yet outraged Americans seem most concerned about fictions like death panels and government-enforced euthanasia, while clinging to the myth that our current system of selective availability and perverse incentives somehow represents capitalist ideals.
But let's take a break from that burdensome issue to examine the likelihood that President Obama was born in a foreign country and hoodwinked America into believing he was eligible to run for president.
People who lack the sense to question Big Lies always end up in deep trouble. Being well informed takes work, even with the Internet. In a democracy, that's simply a civic burden. If we're too foolish or lazy to educate ourselves on health care, global warming, financial reform and other complicated issues, then we're signing ourselves over to special interests who see nothing wrong with plundering our national -- and personal -- wealth.
The iCulture:
We may be chastened by the recession, but Americans still believe they deserve the best of everything -- the best job, the best health care, the best education for our kids.
And we want it at a discount -- or better yet, free -- which brings us back to the usual disconnect between what we want and what we're willing to pay for.
Rationing is a dirty word, so we can't have a system that officially rations something as vital as health care or education. Instead, we have unacknowledged, de facto rationing that directs the most resources to those with the best connections, the most money or the savvy to game the system.
What keeps the rest of us content is the illusion that we, too, will eventually be able to game the system -- as long as the government doesn't interfere.
Solutions that serve some public good -- like Social Security and bank deposit insurance in the 1930s and Medicare in the 1960s -- usually require everybody to give something to get something. If it works, the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
Good programs leave individuals the option to pay more if they want more. Bad programs promise more than they can deliver. But often we don't know that until it's too late.
Deficit Soars Higher into Record Territory
Federal Deficit Hits $1.38T through August; Economists Estimate 2009 will be Record Year
(AP) The federal deficit surged higher into record territory in August, hitting $1.38 trillion with one month left in the budget year.
The Treasury Department said Friday that last month's deficit was $111.4 billion, below the $152 billion that economists expected. Still, the imbalance added to a flood of red ink already accumulated through a severe recession and massive spending needed to stabilize the banking system.
The soaring deficits have raised worries about the willingness of foreigners to keep purchasing Treasury debt. The Chinese, now the largest foreign owners of U.S. Treasury securities, have expressed concerns about runaway deficits.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and other administration officials have sought to address those concerns by insisting that once the current downturn is over and the financial system is stabilized, the administration will move forcefully to get the deficits under control. However, Republican critics contend the administration does not have a credible plan to address future deficits.
Private economists worry the country could face the grim prospect of seeing interest rates soar in future years and the dollar weaken as foreigners dump their U.S. holdings.
The Obama administration last month trimmed its forecast for this year's deficit to $1.58 trillion, from an earlier $1.84 trillion. The recovery of the banking system led to the reduced estimate as it meant the administration did not need to get an additional $250 billion in bailout support for banks.
The $1.58 trillion estimate for the full budget year signals that that administration expects the imbalance in September to be around $200 billion. That would be a sharp deterioration from September 2008 when the government closed out that budget year with a $45.7 billion surplus.
Many private economists have slightly smaller deficit estimates for the full year but all agree that 2009 will be a record-holder by a large margin. The previous record deficit in dollar terms was $454.8 billion last year.
The administration's revised budget forecasts issued last month also underscored how much the government's fiscal picture has deteriorated. It is now projecting the deficit over the next decade will total $9 trillion, $2 trillion more than its estimates from a few months ago.
The deterioration partly reflects the country's deep recession, the worst since the 1930s. That downturn has cut into government receipts and pushed up spending in such areas as unemployment benefits and food stamps, along with the cost of fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, the government is using a $787 billion economic stimulus program passed by Congress last February to jump-start growth and is spending massive amounts from the $700 billion financial bailout package passed in October 2008 to stabilize the financial system.
The Treasury Department budget report for August showed the government collected $145.5 billion in revenues, a drop of 7.3 percent from August 2008. It marked the 16th consecutive month that revenues have been lower than the previous year, a string that reflects how much the recession, which began in December 2007, has cut into personal income and corporate taxes. Spending in August totaled $256.9 billion, down 4.5 percent from the year before.
However, that comparison was misleading because the deficit last month was lowered by timing shifts which saw some payments shifted into July because Aug. 1 fell on a Saturday.
Primarily because of the timing shifts, last month's deficit was 0.5 percent lower than in August 2008.
(AP) The federal deficit surged higher into record territory in August, hitting $1.38 trillion with one month left in the budget year.
The Treasury Department said Friday that last month's deficit was $111.4 billion, below the $152 billion that economists expected. Still, the imbalance added to a flood of red ink already accumulated through a severe recession and massive spending needed to stabilize the banking system.
The soaring deficits have raised worries about the willingness of foreigners to keep purchasing Treasury debt. The Chinese, now the largest foreign owners of U.S. Treasury securities, have expressed concerns about runaway deficits.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and other administration officials have sought to address those concerns by insisting that once the current downturn is over and the financial system is stabilized, the administration will move forcefully to get the deficits under control. However, Republican critics contend the administration does not have a credible plan to address future deficits.
Private economists worry the country could face the grim prospect of seeing interest rates soar in future years and the dollar weaken as foreigners dump their U.S. holdings.
The Obama administration last month trimmed its forecast for this year's deficit to $1.58 trillion, from an earlier $1.84 trillion. The recovery of the banking system led to the reduced estimate as it meant the administration did not need to get an additional $250 billion in bailout support for banks.
The $1.58 trillion estimate for the full budget year signals that that administration expects the imbalance in September to be around $200 billion. That would be a sharp deterioration from September 2008 when the government closed out that budget year with a $45.7 billion surplus.
Many private economists have slightly smaller deficit estimates for the full year but all agree that 2009 will be a record-holder by a large margin. The previous record deficit in dollar terms was $454.8 billion last year.
The administration's revised budget forecasts issued last month also underscored how much the government's fiscal picture has deteriorated. It is now projecting the deficit over the next decade will total $9 trillion, $2 trillion more than its estimates from a few months ago.
The deterioration partly reflects the country's deep recession, the worst since the 1930s. That downturn has cut into government receipts and pushed up spending in such areas as unemployment benefits and food stamps, along with the cost of fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition, the government is using a $787 billion economic stimulus program passed by Congress last February to jump-start growth and is spending massive amounts from the $700 billion financial bailout package passed in October 2008 to stabilize the financial system.
The Treasury Department budget report for August showed the government collected $145.5 billion in revenues, a drop of 7.3 percent from August 2008. It marked the 16th consecutive month that revenues have been lower than the previous year, a string that reflects how much the recession, which began in December 2007, has cut into personal income and corporate taxes. Spending in August totaled $256.9 billion, down 4.5 percent from the year before.
However, that comparison was misleading because the deficit last month was lowered by timing shifts which saw some payments shifted into July because Aug. 1 fell on a Saturday.
Primarily because of the timing shifts, last month's deficit was 0.5 percent lower than in August 2008.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Mehsud Dead...Let Us Hope
It appears a drone attack in Pakistan has been successful in killing the self-described Taliban leader in that country. Let us hope the initial reports are correct. If the reports are true this would be a victory in trying to disrupt the Taliban leadership in this critical region.Thursday, August 6, 2009
Town Halls Continue to Spiral Out of Control
This is no longer about debating the issue. This is simply shouting down those you don't like. So much for intellectually debating the issues.
White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard'
And now fist fights at a town hall?
Another Dem overrun by protesters at town hall
Town hall trouble from both sides now
OFA tries to counter "mobs" with their own supporters
Media Bias in Coverage? You decide...
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-19-2009/fox-news--the-new-liberals
White House to Democrats: 'Punch back twice as hard'
And now fist fights at a town hall?
Another Dem overrun by protesters at town hall
Town hall trouble from both sides now
OFA tries to counter "mobs" with their own supporters
Media Bias in Coverage? You decide...
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-19-2009/fox-news--the-new-liberals
Monday, August 3, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Too Much Democracy?
Is meeting with the voters always good?Do voters have the right to interrupt town hall meetings with protests?
Town halls gone wild
Protests designed to embarrass members of Congress
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
What a Constitution Should Look Like
Here I try to detail the challenges and concerns that formed the basis of the ratification debate in 1787-1788.
So Easily Distracted...
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Born Identity | ||||
| ||||
In the age of the internet we all need to become better consumers of information. We all have a responsibility to confirm information from credible sources. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to expose falsehoods and conspiracy theories for what they are.
I recommend the following site to validate the information given out by both sides of the political spectrum.
http://www.factcheck.org/
http://www.politifact.com/
The specific entry on the birth certificate issue.
Further investigations.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Defense Spending Battle
Battle over the F-22 crosses party lines.
Senate votes to cut F-22 fighter jet funding
Vote Breakdown
More Budget Battles to the Horizon
Senate votes to cut F-22 fighter jet funding
Vote Breakdown
More Budget Battles to the Horizon
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings
Confirmation Hearings Assignment
You are to watch the videos below and comment to the post with the following information.
1) Describe what you see in the videos
2) What questions are asked by Senators?
3) What responses are given by Sotomayor?
4) Why are these questions being asked and why are these answers being given? Please note, I am not looking for your personal views but rather logical analysis.
Day 1 of Questioning
Day 2 of Questioning
Final Day of Questioning
Legal Scholars Offer Their Opinions
You are to watch the videos below and comment to the post with the following information.
1) Describe what you see in the videos
2) What questions are asked by Senators?
3) What responses are given by Sotomayor?
4) Why are these questions being asked and why are these answers being given? Please note, I am not looking for your personal views but rather logical analysis.
Day 1 of Questioning
Day 2 of Questioning
Final Day of Questioning
Legal Scholars Offer Their Opinions
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
We Have a Budget!!!
Final bill passes with wealth of grumbling
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 3:03 AM
By Mark Niquette and Joe Hallett
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
After a 13-day impasse, the Ohio legislature yesterday rocketed a new state budget to the governor that Democrats say makes the best of a bad economic hand dealt to the state but Republicans say is a gamble that won't pay off.
The bill allows Gov. Ted Strickland to add electronic video slot machines at Ohio's seven horse-racing tracks, proposed to be operational by May, to help balance the budget with $2.5 billion in spending cuts but without raising taxes.
Almost no one on either side of the partisan divide liked the finished product -- Republicans supplied just six votes, including five needed in the Senate for passage. But last night, Strickland hailed an end to the rancorous standoff.
"Our people and our businesses are struggling to stay afloat in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression," the governor said in a statement. "This budget protects them from tax increases they simply cannot afford."
Strickland and legislative Democrats also found silver-linings in the two-year, $50.5 billion spending plan, particularly language initiating the governor's "evidence-based" education reforms over the next 10 years.
But Republicans said the final version was rushed (and there wasn't enough time to read it), relies on billions in "one-time" money and depends on dubious returns from expanded gambling that voters have rejected four times in recent years.
"These decisions are going to plague the state for years," said Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering.
Critics predicted that the $933 million in projected gambling revenue won't materialize and, considering iffy tax revenue estimates, use of one-time money and delayed spending, that tax hikes or other fixes will be needed -- in the next budget or sooner.
The House approved the budget 54-44; Rep. W. Scott Oelslager of Canton was the only Republican to support it.
The Senate debated the bill less than a half-hour before approving it 17-15, with all 12 Democrats voting yes.
The legislature adopted another interim budget, the third since the old budget expired June 30, to allow enough time to prepare the document for Strickland's signature later this week.
A disagreement over gambling delayed the budget past the June 30 deadline. Strickland issued a directive to the Lottery Commission yesterday to begin the process of adding up to 2,500 slots at each track, and the legislature added budget language authorizing them.
Each track must pay a $65 million licensing fee, with $13 million due Sept. 15. The state will get 50 percent of profits generated by wagering with the machines. The Ohio Lottery will own the terminals or lease them from the manufacturer.
Yesterday, the Ohio Christian Alliance condemned the state's move into casino-style gambling and said it might sue to block the move. The conservative Ohio Roundtable already has vowed to sue.
The possibility of slot machines at Scioto Downs south of Columbus also has complicated the Ohio High School Athletic Association's annual cross-country meet at the racetrack. It is scheduled for Nov. 7 and will remain there until more about the plan is known, the association said.
Democrats, meanwhile, trumpeted the "transformational" education changes in the budget, which cuts state funding to schools but has an overall increase with federal stimulus funds.
School districts also will be required to offer all-day kindergarten beginning in the 2010-11 school year, although an optional half-day program would be available to parents.
That's the same year schools must begin reducing class sizes in kindergarten through third grade. Classrooms must be no larger than 19 students in the 2010-11 school year and down to 15 students by 2014-15. The budget provides no additional funding for all-day kindergarten or smaller class sizes.
The budget eliminates Ohio's graduation test and requires students to complete the ACT or another college entrance exam, pass end-of-course exams and complete a senior thesis. A service project was dropped from the requirements.
Charter schools avoided deep cuts that had been proposed by Strickland under a compromise that continues to provide the same level of state aid as received by traditional public schools.
The budget reduced the number of calamity days schools can be closed without making them up to three in the 2010-11 school year, down from five.
But Strickland's call for extending the school year by 20 days was shelved for now; the budget calls for the state superintendent to study the issue and report back to lawmakers by Dec. 31, 2010. Corporal punishment was banned for all but parochial schools.
Republicans grumbled that the budget cuts funding for the parochial schools and is $2.5 billion short of what Strickland determined to be adequate for public education -- leaving future governors and legislatures to pay for it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 3:03 AM
By Mark Niquette and Joe Hallett
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
After a 13-day impasse, the Ohio legislature yesterday rocketed a new state budget to the governor that Democrats say makes the best of a bad economic hand dealt to the state but Republicans say is a gamble that won't pay off.
The bill allows Gov. Ted Strickland to add electronic video slot machines at Ohio's seven horse-racing tracks, proposed to be operational by May, to help balance the budget with $2.5 billion in spending cuts but without raising taxes.
Almost no one on either side of the partisan divide liked the finished product -- Republicans supplied just six votes, including five needed in the Senate for passage. But last night, Strickland hailed an end to the rancorous standoff.
"Our people and our businesses are struggling to stay afloat in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression," the governor said in a statement. "This budget protects them from tax increases they simply cannot afford."
Strickland and legislative Democrats also found silver-linings in the two-year, $50.5 billion spending plan, particularly language initiating the governor's "evidence-based" education reforms over the next 10 years.
But Republicans said the final version was rushed (and there wasn't enough time to read it), relies on billions in "one-time" money and depends on dubious returns from expanded gambling that voters have rejected four times in recent years.
"These decisions are going to plague the state for years," said Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering.
Critics predicted that the $933 million in projected gambling revenue won't materialize and, considering iffy tax revenue estimates, use of one-time money and delayed spending, that tax hikes or other fixes will be needed -- in the next budget or sooner.
The House approved the budget 54-44; Rep. W. Scott Oelslager of Canton was the only Republican to support it.
The Senate debated the bill less than a half-hour before approving it 17-15, with all 12 Democrats voting yes.
The legislature adopted another interim budget, the third since the old budget expired June 30, to allow enough time to prepare the document for Strickland's signature later this week.
A disagreement over gambling delayed the budget past the June 30 deadline. Strickland issued a directive to the Lottery Commission yesterday to begin the process of adding up to 2,500 slots at each track, and the legislature added budget language authorizing them.
Each track must pay a $65 million licensing fee, with $13 million due Sept. 15. The state will get 50 percent of profits generated by wagering with the machines. The Ohio Lottery will own the terminals or lease them from the manufacturer.
Yesterday, the Ohio Christian Alliance condemned the state's move into casino-style gambling and said it might sue to block the move. The conservative Ohio Roundtable already has vowed to sue.
The possibility of slot machines at Scioto Downs south of Columbus also has complicated the Ohio High School Athletic Association's annual cross-country meet at the racetrack. It is scheduled for Nov. 7 and will remain there until more about the plan is known, the association said.
Democrats, meanwhile, trumpeted the "transformational" education changes in the budget, which cuts state funding to schools but has an overall increase with federal stimulus funds.
School districts also will be required to offer all-day kindergarten beginning in the 2010-11 school year, although an optional half-day program would be available to parents.
That's the same year schools must begin reducing class sizes in kindergarten through third grade. Classrooms must be no larger than 19 students in the 2010-11 school year and down to 15 students by 2014-15. The budget provides no additional funding for all-day kindergarten or smaller class sizes.
The budget eliminates Ohio's graduation test and requires students to complete the ACT or another college entrance exam, pass end-of-course exams and complete a senior thesis. A service project was dropped from the requirements.
Charter schools avoided deep cuts that had been proposed by Strickland under a compromise that continues to provide the same level of state aid as received by traditional public schools.
The budget reduced the number of calamity days schools can be closed without making them up to three in the 2010-11 school year, down from five.
But Strickland's call for extending the school year by 20 days was shelved for now; the budget calls for the state superintendent to study the issue and report back to lawmakers by Dec. 31, 2010. Corporal punishment was banned for all but parochial schools.
Republicans grumbled that the budget cuts funding for the parochial schools and is $2.5 billion short of what Strickland determined to be adequate for public education -- leaving future governors and legislatures to pay for it.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Power in the House
Bill Reading Assignment
You are to read the two articles found in this post and comment with the following information:
1) Explain the issue
2) Is this more an issue between Democrats and Republicans or between the majority and minority party? Explain your answer.
3) Explain why the current reading procedures should not be changed. Please note, I don't want your personal opinion, I just want you to argue this position.
4) Explain why the current reading procedures should be changed. Please note, I don't want your personal opinion, I just want you to argue this position.
The Reading Hour in the House
By Bernie Becker
July 9, 2009, 3:27 pm
NY Times
The Democratic and Republican leaderships in the House used the health care debate to revive an old argument this week – whether legislation gets debated vigorously enough before heading to a vote.
Representative John Boehner, the House minority leader, has taken a pledge, issued by a conservative group, to personally read every page of the upcoming health care legislation – and urged his colleagues to do the same. Let Freedom Ring, the Delaware-based advocacy group that issued the challenge to every member of Congress, has also asked that the bill be posted online for 72 hours before it comes to a vote.
On separate occasions this week, Democratic leaders in the House scoffed at the pledge, saying plenty of time will be given to consider the bill and that members regularly don’t read every word of a bill before casting their vote.
Historically, the minority party in the House – be it Republicans or Democrats – have railed that they are not given enough time to consider legislation before it comes to the floor.
As the House was approaching a vote on the climate and energy bill in late June, Mr. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, took to the floor and read pages of amendments to the bill added just hours earlier, saying afterward “there are times when the majority just does such outrageous things that you have to find a way to make your point to the American people.”
The last time they were in the minority, Democrats often complained that Republicans, led by then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay, would quickly ram bills through the House.
Now back in the majority, House Democrats seem to have little sympathy for their colleagues across the aisle.
On Tuesday, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer laughed after being asked by a reporter about the health care pledge. (A spokesman said that Mr. Boehner used that hook to distribute the pledge to his Republican colleagues.)
“If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,” said Mr. Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, who added that members read large portions of bills themselves and have staff members who tackle the whole bill.
At her weekly news conference on Thursday, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, had a similar reaction when asked if she would follow Mr. Boehner’s lead and take the pledge herself.
“Is this a pledge that is in keeping with his having read all of the bills that he’s ever voted for?”
Mrs. Pelosi, a California Democrat, asked.” I don’t know what his pledge is, but we pledge to have a full process with ample time for the legislation to be wellknown to the public. Every person in America is an expert on his or her health care. And they’re all very curious about what will be there.”
Mr. Boehner fired back at his own Thursday news conference, saying that Democrats won’t want the public to read the health care legislation once it is drafted.
“They might find out how ridiculous it is,” he said.
________________________________________________________
Lawmakers, read the bills before you vote
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / July 12, 2009
The Boston Globe
SAY, DID you hear the one about the congressman who was asked to do his job? Talk about funny - this will crack you up!
Well, maybe it won’t. But Steny Hoyer thought it was hilarious.
Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, is the majority leader in the House of Representatives. At a news conference last week, he was talking about the healthcare overhaul being drafted on Capitol Hill, and a reporter asked whether he would support a pledge committing members of Congress to read the bill before voting on it, and to make the full text of the legislation available to the public online for 72 hours before the vote takes place.
That, reported CNSNews, gave Hoyer the giggles: The majority leader “found the idea of the pledge humorous, laughing as he responded to the question. ‘I’m laughing because . . . I don’t know how long this bill is going to be, but it’s going to be a very long bill,’ he said.’’
Then came one of those classic Washington gaffes that Michael Kinsley famously defined as “when a politician tells the truth.’’ Hoyer conceded that if lawmakers had to carefully study the bill ahead of time, they would never vote for it. “If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,’’ he said. The majority leader was declaring, in other words, that it is more important for Congress to pass the bill than to understand it.
“Transparency’’ is a popular buzzword in good-government circles, and politicians are forever promising to transact the people’s business in the sunshine. But as Hoyer’s mirth suggests, when it comes to lawmaking, transparency is a joke. Congress frequently votes on huge and complex bills that few if any members of the House or Senate has read through. They couldn’t read them even if they wanted to, since it is not unusual for legislation to be put to a vote just hours after the text is made available to lawmakers. Congress passed the gigantic, $787 billion “stimulus’’ bill in February - the largest spending bill in history - after having had only 13 hours to master its 1,100 pages.
A 300-page amendment was added to Waxman-Markey, the mammoth cap-and-trade energy bill, at 3 a.m. on the day the bill was to be voted on by the House.
And that wasn’t the worst of it, as law professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University noted in National Review Online:
“When Waxman-Markey finally hit the floor, there was no actual bill. Not one single copy of the full legislation that would, hours later, be subject to a final vote was available to members of the House. The text made available to some members of Congress still had ‘placeholders’ - blank provisions to be filled in by subsequent language.’’
Ramming legislation through Congress so quickly that neither lawmakers nor voters have time to read and digest it is a bipartisan crime; Republicans have been as guilty of it as Democrats.
The 341-page Patriot Act, to mention just one notorious example, was introduced in the Republican-controlled House on Oct. 23, 2001, brought to a vote on Oct. 24, adopted by the Democratic-controlled Senate on Oct. 25, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26.
Such efficiency is no virtue when it comes to lawmaking, which is why every member of Congress should be pressed to sign the pledge Hoyer was asked about. It is sponsored by a grass-roots conservative group, Let Freedom Ring, and is readily accessible online. Equally worthy of support is ReadTheBill.org, which is backed by a coalition of liberal organizations. Still another push comes from the libertarian group Downsize DC, which urges Congress to pass its proposed Read The Bills Act.
Senators and representatives who vote on bills they haven’t read and don’t understand betray their constituents’ trust. It is no excuse to say that Congress would get much less done if every member took the time to read every bill. Fewer and shorter laws more carefully thought through would be a vast improvement over today’s massive bills, which are assembled in the dark and enacted in haste. Steny Hoyer chortles at the thought of asking members of Congress to do their job properly. It’s up to voters to wipe the grin off his face.
You are to read the two articles found in this post and comment with the following information:
1) Explain the issue
2) Is this more an issue between Democrats and Republicans or between the majority and minority party? Explain your answer.
3) Explain why the current reading procedures should not be changed. Please note, I don't want your personal opinion, I just want you to argue this position.
4) Explain why the current reading procedures should be changed. Please note, I don't want your personal opinion, I just want you to argue this position.
The Reading Hour in the House
By Bernie Becker
July 9, 2009, 3:27 pm
NY Times
The Democratic and Republican leaderships in the House used the health care debate to revive an old argument this week – whether legislation gets debated vigorously enough before heading to a vote.
Representative John Boehner, the House minority leader, has taken a pledge, issued by a conservative group, to personally read every page of the upcoming health care legislation – and urged his colleagues to do the same. Let Freedom Ring, the Delaware-based advocacy group that issued the challenge to every member of Congress, has also asked that the bill be posted online for 72 hours before it comes to a vote.
On separate occasions this week, Democratic leaders in the House scoffed at the pledge, saying plenty of time will be given to consider the bill and that members regularly don’t read every word of a bill before casting their vote.
Historically, the minority party in the House – be it Republicans or Democrats – have railed that they are not given enough time to consider legislation before it comes to the floor.
As the House was approaching a vote on the climate and energy bill in late June, Mr. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, took to the floor and read pages of amendments to the bill added just hours earlier, saying afterward “there are times when the majority just does such outrageous things that you have to find a way to make your point to the American people.”
The last time they were in the minority, Democrats often complained that Republicans, led by then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay, would quickly ram bills through the House.
Now back in the majority, House Democrats seem to have little sympathy for their colleagues across the aisle.
On Tuesday, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer laughed after being asked by a reporter about the health care pledge. (A spokesman said that Mr. Boehner used that hook to distribute the pledge to his Republican colleagues.)
“If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,” said Mr. Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, who added that members read large portions of bills themselves and have staff members who tackle the whole bill.
At her weekly news conference on Thursday, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, had a similar reaction when asked if she would follow Mr. Boehner’s lead and take the pledge herself.
“Is this a pledge that is in keeping with his having read all of the bills that he’s ever voted for?”
Mrs. Pelosi, a California Democrat, asked.” I don’t know what his pledge is, but we pledge to have a full process with ample time for the legislation to be wellknown to the public. Every person in America is an expert on his or her health care. And they’re all very curious about what will be there.”
Mr. Boehner fired back at his own Thursday news conference, saying that Democrats won’t want the public to read the health care legislation once it is drafted.
“They might find out how ridiculous it is,” he said.
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Lawmakers, read the bills before you vote
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / July 12, 2009
The Boston Globe
SAY, DID you hear the one about the congressman who was asked to do his job? Talk about funny - this will crack you up!
Well, maybe it won’t. But Steny Hoyer thought it was hilarious.
Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, is the majority leader in the House of Representatives. At a news conference last week, he was talking about the healthcare overhaul being drafted on Capitol Hill, and a reporter asked whether he would support a pledge committing members of Congress to read the bill before voting on it, and to make the full text of the legislation available to the public online for 72 hours before the vote takes place.
That, reported CNSNews, gave Hoyer the giggles: The majority leader “found the idea of the pledge humorous, laughing as he responded to the question. ‘I’m laughing because . . . I don’t know how long this bill is going to be, but it’s going to be a very long bill,’ he said.’’
Then came one of those classic Washington gaffes that Michael Kinsley famously defined as “when a politician tells the truth.’’ Hoyer conceded that if lawmakers had to carefully study the bill ahead of time, they would never vote for it. “If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,’’ he said. The majority leader was declaring, in other words, that it is more important for Congress to pass the bill than to understand it.
“Transparency’’ is a popular buzzword in good-government circles, and politicians are forever promising to transact the people’s business in the sunshine. But as Hoyer’s mirth suggests, when it comes to lawmaking, transparency is a joke. Congress frequently votes on huge and complex bills that few if any members of the House or Senate has read through. They couldn’t read them even if they wanted to, since it is not unusual for legislation to be put to a vote just hours after the text is made available to lawmakers. Congress passed the gigantic, $787 billion “stimulus’’ bill in February - the largest spending bill in history - after having had only 13 hours to master its 1,100 pages.
A 300-page amendment was added to Waxman-Markey, the mammoth cap-and-trade energy bill, at 3 a.m. on the day the bill was to be voted on by the House.
And that wasn’t the worst of it, as law professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University noted in National Review Online:
“When Waxman-Markey finally hit the floor, there was no actual bill. Not one single copy of the full legislation that would, hours later, be subject to a final vote was available to members of the House. The text made available to some members of Congress still had ‘placeholders’ - blank provisions to be filled in by subsequent language.’’
Ramming legislation through Congress so quickly that neither lawmakers nor voters have time to read and digest it is a bipartisan crime; Republicans have been as guilty of it as Democrats.
The 341-page Patriot Act, to mention just one notorious example, was introduced in the Republican-controlled House on Oct. 23, 2001, brought to a vote on Oct. 24, adopted by the Democratic-controlled Senate on Oct. 25, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26.
Such efficiency is no virtue when it comes to lawmaking, which is why every member of Congress should be pressed to sign the pledge Hoyer was asked about. It is sponsored by a grass-roots conservative group, Let Freedom Ring, and is readily accessible online. Equally worthy of support is ReadTheBill.org, which is backed by a coalition of liberal organizations. Still another push comes from the libertarian group Downsize DC, which urges Congress to pass its proposed Read The Bills Act.
Senators and representatives who vote on bills they haven’t read and don’t understand betray their constituents’ trust. It is no excuse to say that Congress would get much less done if every member took the time to read every bill. Fewer and shorter laws more carefully thought through would be a vast improvement over today’s massive bills, which are assembled in the dark and enacted in haste. Steny Hoyer chortles at the thought of asking members of Congress to do their job properly. It’s up to voters to wipe the grin off his face.
Branch Conflict
When the Executive and Legislature Battle:
Video of Sen. Feinstein
Jan Schakowsky: Dick Cheney's program validates Nancy Pelosi
NY Times: Cheney Is Linked to Concealment of C.I.A. Project
Video of Sen. Feinstein
Jan Schakowsky: Dick Cheney's program validates Nancy Pelosi
NY Times: Cheney Is Linked to Concealment of C.I.A. Project
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
A Question of Independence
Recent moves by the Economist, Wall St. Journal, and the Washington Post raise quesitons as to the independence of media outlets.
Access scandal echoes beyond the Washington Post
Washington Post cancels lobbyist event amid uproar
Access scandal echoes beyond the Washington Post
Washington Post cancels lobbyist event amid uproar
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