Thomas Sowell's must-read op-ed on National Review details the destructive tendency of this Democrat-run Congress and White House to impose new laws without giving Americans time to debate, discuss, and comprehend their full impact. And by blocking Republican "read the bill" reforms, Democrats are circumventing "we the people" in their pursuit of more spending, more taxing, and more government. Sowell writes:
"'We the people' are the central concern of the Constitution, as well as its opening words, since it is a Constitution for a self-governing nation. But 'we the people' are treated as an obstacle to circumvent by the current administration in Washington.
"One way of circumventing the people is to rush legislation through Congress so fast that no one knows what is buried in it. Did you know that the so-called health-care-reform bill contained a provision creating a tax on people who buy and sell gold coins?
"You might debate whether that tax is a good or a bad idea. But the whole point of burying it in legislation about medical insurance is to make sure 'we the people' don't even know about it, much less have a chance to debate it, before it becomes law. ...
"Not since the Norman conquerors of England published their laws in French, for an English-speaking nation, centuries ago, has there been such contempt for the people's right to know what laws are being imposed on them."
Read Sowell's full op-ed here. The list of sweeping legislation quickly rammed through the 111th Congress reads like the "worst hits" of Democratic spendthrifts: for example, the trillion-dollar "stimulus" that didn't work, their massive "omnibus," and the "cap and trade" national energy tax.
Sowell also blasts Democrats for repeatedly passing "laws worded in vague generalities, leaving it up to the federal bureaucracies to issue specific regulations based on those laws." In fact, ObamaCare and the permanent bailouts bill alone – each thousands of pages long – leave the door open for hundreds of new rules, bureaucracies, and so on that aren't detailed in the laws themselves. The "unknowns" of these new laws have caused crippling uncertainty for small businesses that are left unable to plan or hire new workers.
Of course, Democrats are also dodging accountability for their policies by refusing to rule out passing major legislation during a "lame duck" session of Congress.
Republicans are taking action to stop this trend on several fronts. The GOP Congressional Transparency Initiative is designed to make Congress more open and accountable by requiring that all bills be posted online at least three days before a vote, bringing cameras into the powerful Rules Committee, and more.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) is taking on the White House over pending jobs-killing federal rules. On Monday, Boehner fired off a letter to President Obama demanding an account of the new rules – to be written by unelected bureaucrats – that could have a major economic cost. "'We the people' don't vote for bureaucrats," notes Sowell. But the Administration has yet to actually answer the questions posed in Boehner's letter.
Republicans are backing legislation by Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) – the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act – which the Cincinnati Enquirer says "would require Congressional approval for major regulatory changes, defined as those that would have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more."
And Republicans forced a vote on legislation canceling the "lame duck" session of Congress. Unfortunately, Democrats rejected it – and that's why we need your help.
"We the people" have an opportunity to stop the backroom deals and jobs-killing agenda of the Democrats in Washington, but we need to elect a Republican Majority to Congress to make it happen. Please consider making a generous contribution to The Freedom Project today to help us keep the heat on Democrats all the way 'til Election Day or check out and support key Republican candidates here.
READ MORE:
Desperate Democrats Forget to Name Their Latest "Stimulus" Spending Bill (8/9/10)
Flashback: Hoyer Didn't Think Highly of Reading ObamaCare Either (7/23/10)
Top Democrat Ridicules Voters Who Want to "Read the Bill" (7/22/10)
Boehner Highlights GOP Congressional Transparency Reforms (7/21/10)
Read the Bill: Boehner Says GOP Will Post Bills Online for 72 Hours Before a Vote (2/19/10)
Read More »»
