Congress Refuses to Read Bills Before Voting

[richlevy]

I remember two bills with amendments, one having to do with artists defaulting to 'work for hire' in studio contracts and another one allowing non-organic chicken to be labeled as organic, that noone admitted to reading before voting. The two very controversial amendments had to be repealed days after being enacted.

In the case of the anti-musician bill, the legislative aide who inserted the amendment was hired by the recording industry.

The 'fake organic' bill was opposed by everyone except the dumbass constituent who suggested it to his equally dumbass Congressman. It would have cost organic poultry producers billions in lost revenue when domestic and worldwide customers lost faith in any 'organic' label on US poultry.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Making them all read the bill, before voting it up or down, would probably be a waste of time, as I doubt they would understand what they read. That's why they have (trusted?) staff to tell them what these bills say and how they would really work in the real world.

Then after the straight dope is obtained from the staff, it is balanced against the booty offered by lobbyists, the pressure from the party whip, and how long to the next re-election campaign.

It's not easy being slick.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Pelosi planed that you would have that response. Along with all the other apathetic Americans.

I'm an apathetic American? Really? I mean, sure I'm complacent and self-indulgent, but where's my enormous car, and stockpile of automatic weapons?

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Then after the straight dope is obtained from the staff, it is balanced against the booty offered by lobbyists, the pressure from the party whip, and how long to the next re-election campaign.

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Except for the "straight dope" from the staff ...

Originally Posted by richlevy

In the case of the anti-musician bill, the legislative aide who inserted the amendment was hired by the recording industry.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

I'm an apathetic American? Really? I mean, sure I'm complacent and self-indulgent, but where's my enormous car, and stockpile of automatic weapons?

How does what one drives for a car define ones complacency? Who owns a stockpile of automatic weapons and how does this relate to self indulgence and car ownership?