Let's see... Ah yes. Congress.
They slipped the healthcare bill through. On Christmas Eve. I hate that.
It's so cowardly- they can't bear to actually try to compromise and consider that they might be wrong about it; we have to get it through at all costs, even if said costs include lying about it and pushing it through when we know no one is paying attention, and they can't do anything about it.
Ugh.
Which leads me to another topic. Why is Congress in session so often?
I mean, I don't think they even have the right to say they live in their home districts anymore. They don't live there. They live in D.C. for practically the entire year. I don't see how that is good for our country. When they have enough time to pass an attaboy for an athletic 'hero', we have problems. That shows that they have entirely too much time on the floor, and not enough time actually listening to their Constitutents.
And that, in turn, leads me to yet another pet peeve.
Why in the world is the Senate/House floor always empty when anyone is speaking? I mean, it's like the minute they aren't the center of attention anymore *shoom* out the door they are.
I understand they are busy men. I mean, they have to work hard to schmooze all those lobbyists and come up with 1,000 page bills none of them even read, and of course, there's all the Pork Cram Time they have to get in. All those things are very, very important.
"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session."
Mark Twain
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4 comments:
One of the reasons that people are almost never on the floor when others are speaking is because almost all vote gathering and persuading is done behind closed doors on both sides of the aisle. It's all settled over lunches, breakfasts, and dinners, and then there's not point in listening to the handful of people who actually want to publicly debate the subject.
I have to say, I'm not sure how this was "cowardly" considering it's been planned for a quite a while, it was on television and all of congress was present. If you want to talk about cowardly, some conservative emmebers actually made public prayers that some members of congress would get stuck and not be able to attend which really is cowardly.
I do agree with what JT and Alex said, but I also think what you're saying is kind of true.
And I hadn't thought about that before. The strange thing is that they DON'T live anywhere near their home district anymore. I suppose the current theory is that the media and communications will deal with it so that they can do better to represent their constitutents even thought they might be constantly thousands of miles away.
JT- Exactly. It's wrong that things aren't decided where they should be- in open debate, where we can keep a good eye on them.
Alex- I think that's silly too. But I still think cramming something through on a day that is supposed to be a holiday is wrong.
Christopher- I guess that's the thought process. But the problem is that they don't listen to their constituents, regardless, and I think we should institute some sort of regulation where they have to be in their home districts six months out of the year or something. :P Bet they'd all love that.
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