Oh what a mess we have woven. The Bush administration is trying to tie this mess all the way back to the Clinton era, when Clinton loosened restrictions on Freddie Mae and Frannie McMac. Bush was so caught up in his asinine war that he must have forgotten to tighten regulations on Wall Street. It must have been at the top of his list right before one of his many vacations, and he just figured he’d instate regulations when he got back.
So, let’s take a look at this beautiful bail out plan, complete with the following earmarks.
- Auto racing tracks – we can now count on tax-free beer and sleeveless shirts that say “Squirrel – the other white meat.”
- Film and television production – by all means, we need to protect our propaganda machine.
- Wool research – because the simple process of shaving a sheep is not enough.
- Makers of “certain wooden arrow shafts” limited only to arrows that are created for children and are “5.16 inches or less in diameter.” Instated, because this country needs appropriate wooden arrow shafts in order that we, the taxpayers, can rest peacefully knowing that if an irate five-year-old little boy seeks retribution for a missing lollipop, he will only do minor damage to his little sister’s eye if that shaft is sufficiently sized.
- Tax breaks to litigants in the Exxon Valdez oil-spill case, who, by the way, have already been rewarded by the courts. So, this means more money for … Alaska! Isn’t that where McPalin governs?
Now, this part is interesting, because all revenue bills are supposed to originate in the House. This one originated in the Senate, but doesn’t appear to do so because it is attached as an amendment to a completely unrelated mental health claims bill. In other words, the bailout plan is supported by a need for mental health.
Additionally, this bill also includes a tax-extender measure. This tax-extender would pass on its own merits because it contains a temporary Alternative Minimum Tax measure that protects middle-class couples. If any House members oppose this bailout plan, and oppose tax breaks for wooden arrow shafts, they will be blamed for not passing the temporary AMT designed for middle-class couples. By the way, couples is defined by our constitution as marriage between one man and one woman. In other words, Lindsay Lohan need not apply. My first thoughts on this temporary measure: AMT - WTF?! My second thoughts on this tax-extender measure: Blackmail.
It seems to me as if the Senate is trying to manipulate the House into approving this clustermuck.
But, this is the way things roll in our government. Amendments and extenders are normal in the way we run things.
How do we fix this? Do we fix this? Or are things fine just the way we are?
If our elected officials were to fix this, how would they do it? Could we allow our President to make line-item vetoes? I don’t think that has never been instated, because that would give the President great power, much like a monarchy, and therefore imbalance the process.
What about one-item bills? In other words, each bill would have only one item. That would certainly simplify things, but would anything pass in the House or the Senate? If our government instated one-item bills, would we need a bigger government, to work around the clock constantly overseeing bills passed through the House and the Senate?
What if our government were to instate line item votes? Yes, vote. Not veto. Interesting how easily interchangeable those letters can be, hmmm?
In other words, let America vote on the line items. That would certainly quell the lobbyists on the Hill, and maybe send them out into the country to see, first hand, what America really, truly needs. The only problem that I would foresee with that is that it would cost too much money in marketing and advertising to get people to vote more often. OK, what if we streamlined the voting process and did it online or by phone? That would allow for too much room for error. Then there’s Florida, where there’s always a voting mishap.
Something needs to be fixed as bills pass through the House. How do we fix this? How do we keep the lobbyists from lining the pockets of our Senators and House members? How do we get our needs to the Hill? How do we avoid unnecessary bills being slipped through the process under the guise of a covert amendment?
I’d love to read or hear your thoughts.
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