Sunlight and Simplicity

Much of the anger generated by ObamaCare was a result of the Democrats’ cowardly attempts to sneak it past the voters. The legislation was unnecessarily complex and unnecessarily lengthy. Bad ideas were buried in intentionally mysterious language. Key votes were held at night, on weekends and on Christmas Eve.

Unless Congress is dealing with some national security crisis or natural disaster, is there any excuse for voting at odd hours?

No more attempts to pass bad bills while America sleeps! It’s time to rise up and stop this sort of nonsense.

Here are some suggested reforms for sunlight and simplicity in Congress:

• No late night votes on non-emergent legislation (Vote 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday only).
• No weekend votes on non-emergent legislation.
• No holiday votes on non-emergent legislation.
• No changes in the congressional schedule for non-emergent legislation.
• All congressional activity should be broadcast online on a government website. No closed-door sessions of any kind unless it would be a threat to national security to make a meeting public.
• Every non-emergent bill, in its final form, is to be made public 10 BUSINESS days before any vote can be taken.
• Limit legislation to 250 pages (or some other reasonable number).

The era of stealth legislation needs to come to an abrupt end. In this era of broadband internet access and social media, there are no more excuses for opaque government.

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Obama's Lies And Broken Promises

Obama's dossier of lies and broken promises is getting really fat.

Obama on earmarks

"[W]e need earmark reform. And when I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely." 

But what about the porkulus bill?  

It's a great example of my committment to eliminate earmarks says Obama: "Now, I'm proud that we passed a recovery plan free of earmarks."  

Really, Obama?  Even your own cronies know that's a joke.  

"There was just a roar of laughter – because there were earmarks," Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told CNN.

Sunlight Before Signing

Obama's Pledge: "When there is a bill that ends up on my desk as the president, you the public will have five days to look online and find out what's in it before I sign it." 

Reality Check: Obama signed his first bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act only two days after its passage. He signed a second bill expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program just three hours after Congress passed it. Obama signed his $787 billion porkuls only one business day after it passed through Congress – without allowing for five days of public comment.

Lobbyists

Obama promised to ban lobbyists from serving in his administration. He stated it very plainly: "When I am president, they won't find a job in my White House." Obama later "waived" his rules for at least two of his nominees – William J. Lynn and William Corr.

Do you believe these statements?

• “If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not one single dime.”
  

• “...Not because I believe in bigger government — I don’t.”
  

• "Let me say this as plainly as I can: By Aug. 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end." (What happened to May 2010?)

• “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency,”

• Q. Are you a socialist as some people have suggested?  A. "You know...the answer would be no."

• Update:  How about this one: "We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon ...And I will do everything that's required to prevent it. And we will never take military options off the table."

Hat Tip: Chicago Ray

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Tyranny Alert: Judge orders homeschoolers into public district classrooms

The judge explained his goal in ordering the children to register and attend a public school was to make sure they have a "more well-rounded education." "I thought Ms. Mills had done a good job [in homeschooling]," he said. "It was great for them to have that access, and [I had] no problems with homeschooling. I said public schooling would be a good complement." Hat Tip: Freedom's Fight