I Thought The Era Of Earmarks Was Over

If the era of earmarks is over, it is only because they are calling them something else now.

Sounds like what Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has been doing over in the other "Chamber of Horrors". He has been demanding spending offsets for any bill that increases government largesse. I guess 3 people out of the entire Congress is a good start.

Hello Gewcew,

I completely respect the spirit of this discussion.

However, as long as bills are numbered, instead of submitted under catchy phrases they will be fodder to We The People.

As I see it, the resolution is: no amendments to a bill. Specifically, any bill submitted to the voting house must be in it's passable format. Meaning that any bill must be submitted to every legislator before it's moved out of committee. If a legislator deems it necessary to assert an 'emergency' claim to the bill, then the emergency nature must be proven by vote of a super-majority before the amendment applies or fails. Meaning that it is tabled back to committee. That's not unreasonable. And, it will force the legislators to put the interests of America (or at least her voting populus) over their re-election bid.

If a legislator fails to object early one, he or she must prove a 'change in circumstances' and the need to re-open the issue before the general assemby. This will force the legislators to be present whenever Congress is in session. Which should effectively do away with three day work weeks for legislators. Grrr!

Of course, this suggestion is merely the tip of the iceberg. Blah, blah, blah, ... as long as we keep voting the same people in to office, we'll keep getting the same anti-Founding Fathers result. Hopefully, people will wake us soon, and realize that there has never, ever, been a better, more fair or just system of governance in the history of mankind. We're far from perfect, yet none has ever come close to what we've offered. Not ever!!!

So, instead of looking to scrap our system for the European model, let's work on perfecting the closest thing to 'perfect' that the world has ever been offered!

Let's not be fooled into subscribing to the socialist-European model when those nations needed to adopt a "union" to prevent economic collapse. They had to sacrifize their national sovereignty to survive. We are 'so not there yet'. And will remain so, as long as we elect a Congress who has the best interests of the United States of America at heart: not their own personal or constituent interests at heart. WE DON'T ELECT SPECIAL INTERESTS! We elect individuals!

Let's face it folks, WE THE PEOPLE are the only thing standing in the way of one world order. And, lets think about that for a moment: would we really want Kim Jong Il having an equal say over "Human Rights Conditions" than say Nelson Mandella, or the U.S. President?

I don't think so!!!

The years of Congress debating and voting on earmarks is over.... Pelosi changed things so now they don't even have to be voted on... they can just be snuck into a bill and no one is the wiser unless they actually read what they are voting on.

The earmark era will never be over, unless there is a complete overhaul of the political system. Pelosi and most politicians run on hollow promises that sound good, but can never actually deliver on.