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Home Front: Politix
'We the People' to open next Congress
2010-12-25
The Constitution frequently gets lip service in Congress, but House Republicans next year will make sure it gets a lot more than that - the new rules the incoming majority party proposed this week call for a full reading of the country's founding document on the floor of the House on Jan. 6.

The goal, backers said, is to underscore the limited-government rules the Founders imposed on Congress - and to try to bring some of those principles back into everyday legislating.
The Constitution covers about four pages, including all the amendments. This is the law of the land. It was designed to be read and understood perfectly well by the common man so that same common man would know when his government had run off the rails.

I would like to hear that the next items on the agenda will be a full reading of the Obamacare bill, followed by a full reading of the tax code.

I would then like to see an amendment to the Constitution requiring a full reading of all subsequent bills before all members of Congress each time before they are voted on.
Posted by:gorb

#3  "Section 3. Each bill passed by the Congress into law shall be limited to a single subject, which shall be expressed in its title."

That's similar to what I said to Eric Cantor at his Christmas party for his donors, Steve, though I requested it as a House rule (amendments to the Constitution take too long).

We have such a constitutional provision here in Virginia (one subject per bill; don't think the title is involved), of which I reminded him. I also mentioned that as far as I'm concerned, "omnibus" is Congress-speak for "we're putting something over on you (the peasants voters)."

Dunno if the House can/will do that, but it would sure help!
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2010-12-25 10:30  

#2  Here's my proposal for such an amendment:

Section 1. Each bill considered by the Congress shall be available for public inspection, by usual and ordinary means, for at least five days prior to any final vote of passage in either House.

Section 2. Each bill passed by the Congress shall be available for public inspection, by usual and ordinary means, for at least five days prior to being signed into law by the President, except when war or national emergency shall require immediate signature.

Section 3. Each bill passed by the Congress into law shall be limited to a single subject, which shall be expressed in its title.

Section 4. Each bill passed by the Congress shall identify by name the Representative or Senator responsible as principal sponsor for each provision, appropriation, emolument, or encumbrance within said bill; and no provision, appropriation, emolument, or encumbrance shall be considered law unless so identified.
Posted by: Steve White   2010-12-25 10:13  

#1  The Constitution covers about four pages, including all the amendments.

Yes, but it now comes with literally library shelves of 'interpretations' by the legal caste to tell us what we read isn't what it means.
Posted by: P2kontheroad   2010-12-25 09:37  

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