How Bill Became a Law

Good reader, I have an answer to the question you didn't ask. Yes..., uh, well it depends. If you're like me and were wondering how a bill is made into law I have the answer for you via Schoolhouse Rock. For the non-Americans among you, Schoolhouse Rock was a type of infomercial that was put in between Saturday morning cartoons for us children back in the 70's and 80's. I don't know if they continue this awesome practice or if they've changed the infomercials into Orwellian brainwash. I'm just that far out of touch. So for your viewing pleasure I give you the following...

It's really a simplified version of how things in Washington DC work. There's a lot of earmarks and glad-handing, kickbacks, skimming off the top, and all sorts of tomfoolery. Of course, this is the kind of thing that pisses off most people, and from listening to my German brother-in-law, you'd think this sort of thing ONLY happens in America and 3rd word countries. When I listen to him talk about the Bundestag, it sounds like they have improved on Britain's parliamentary system added a few American and Soviet tweaks and came out with a rainbow strudel!

To be honest, I did like the idea that all candidates, no matter how small the party, (so long as it was registered, certified, notarized, taxed, co-signed, verified, codified, vilified, analyzed, and generally subject to Deutch engineering) received equal air-time on television and radio. Wow, talk about a game changer in the states!

But before I stray too far off topic, this recent health care bill was not pushed through very cleanly. The President used Executive Orders to adjust the bill and make deals. And various congressional procedures were overlooked or attempted to be bypassed. All very shady, coming from an administration that advertised itself for its desire for transparency. This behavior is nothing better than the previous administration. Let's hear it from Bill again, this time revamped for the year '10...

I see that the tea parties, coffee parties, and other independent-minded folks are finally mobilizing and are going to do something. Obama is a great disappointment to a lot of those folks, so I can only hope that we will find a new leader (not Palin) to take back the government.