Comments on: There Oughtta Be a…New Congressman

By: Burrow Owl

Burrow Owl — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:38:36 +0000

How about a constitutional amendment:

* All federal laws, including those currently in effect, shall expire after a period of not more than 2 years.

* Re-instatement of any law after the 2 year ’sunset’ period shall require not only a majority vote on the law in its entirety, but

* separate votes shall be required for each individual provision stated within each law.

*Violation of this amendment by any government official, elected or appointed, shall be punishable by not less than 20 years imprisonment and hard labor.

By: Egon

Egon — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:36:04 +0000

Last year, California State Senator Tom Harman proposed the same type of deal, although it was an essay contest for high schoolers. I immediately emailed him and proposed that he have a contest called “There Ought Not be a Law.”

By: adam

adam — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:34:21 +0000

I have some suggestions.

1. Legalize drugs.

2. Cap inflation at 2 percent. (I hear the New $5’s are 2 ply.)

3. End the war.

4. Congress only gets paid in years that the nation debt shrinks.

5. Members of Congress and their families are barred, for life, from any lobbying activity.

By: colson

colson — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:01:27 +0000

Listening to politicians talk is like watching children fight - each hitting each other repetitively - never realizing that they can stop at any time. Except, if there isn’t an opponent, they begin beating themselves repeatedly and people will erect monuments to their stupidity.

By: Matt Moore

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:55:59 +0000

Chance - Not being a libertarian is also a stupid idea.

By: Danno49

Danno49 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:50:43 +0000

What part of the word ‘republic’ don’t these nimrods understand?

By: Erik

Erik — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:41:31 +0000

Some stupid ideas do die, but there never seems to be a shortage of the stupid people who propose them.

By: Chance

Chance — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:32:11 +0000

I don’t think this is necessarily a stupid idea, but then again, I’m not a libertarian.

By: Tokin42

Tokin42 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:55:19 +0000

oh, you said that didn’t you. maybe I should read the ENTIRE post before I reply next time……..or next time

“I’ll get a good idea and THEN get high as a reward!” — Towlie

By: Tokin42

Tokin42 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:51:18 +0000

QC:

or have an annual ballot initiative to revoke any law of the peoples choice. Problem is, too many dumb people vote.

By: Burdell

Burdell — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:50:06 +0000

Apparently, the good Congressman has never read the last chapter of “Parliament of Whores.”

By: Matt Moore

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:20:07 +0000

QC - Great minds and all that.

By: Matt Moore

Matt Moore — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:15:49 +0000

I’d support national ballot initiatives… if the only purpose of them was to revoke existing laws.

There was a brief mention in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress of a potential legislative structure where one house made laws and the other just repealed them. I always thought that was a fascinating idea.

By: QC

QC — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:58:10 +0000

The worst part of the whole idea is that it presumes the only beneficial thing congress can do is add another law. A nice counterpoint would be for a libertarian leaning congressperson to have citizens nominate the “most pointless law” or something to that effect, and then submit a bill repealing it. If we can’t get rid of one bad law every year, then there is little hope for smaller government.

By: Kip

Kip — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:37:15 +0000

This sounds very similar to the legislation Mike Gravel has basically spent his entire life trying to pass.

From Wikipedia:

“Gravel led an effort to get a United States Constitutional amendment to allow voter-initiated federal legislation similar to state ballot initiatives. He argued that Americans are able to legislate responsibly, and that the Act and Amendment in the National Initiative would allow American citizens to become “law makers”.

By: z

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:35:08 +0000

Here’s a thought for submision: there outta be a law that “People in these united states have a right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures”.