by Jim Tankersley
Lost in the clamor of presidential politics and pastoring yesterday was a press conference held in Bloomingdale by freshman Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.). Truth be told, it was the sort of gimmicky political event that often fails to crack the news cycle, presidential race or no. But we're mentioning it for three reasons:
1) It's a sign of how this fall, more than ever, "Washington" will be the great enemy of every congressional candidate.
2) It's a preview of how incumbents might try to make "Washington" their enemy, too, even if they're already serving there.
3) It raises a really good question for Swamp debate: If you could add (or kill) one federal law, what would it be?
Roskam's plan, announced yesterday, is called "There Oughta Be a Law." It's an invitation for his constituents to submit ideas for legislation to him or state lawmakers from his district; Roskam will even run an "American Idol" style vote for the best idea, promising to introduce the winning bill in the House.
"As a new member of Congress, I have learned first-hand what most 6th District residents already know, Washington is broken," Roskam said in a press release, sounding a lot like Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. "Partisan politics have hamstrung Congress' ability to find solutions to the most pressing problems our nation faces. The constituents I represent are reasonable folks with sound ideas - and it's time to send a little more 6th District solutions to Washington."
Expect to see many similar initiatives from incumbents across Illinois and the country. Polls show Americans widely dissatisfied with the nation's direction and with Congress. That often spells trouble for officeholders who appear linked to the problem -- unless they convince voters they're actively fighting Washington from within.
That's a challenge for Democrats and Republicans alike this year. Roskam is a member of the minority party, and barely a year into his first term. He also -- like almost every sitting House and Senate member -- has built financial ties to special interest groups. According to the nonpartisan campaign-finance-tracking Center for Responsive Politics, he already raised more than $600,000 this campaign from political action committees (mostly business-affiliated), which accounts for about 45 percent of his total fundraising.
Back to his plan. Many Americans are increasingly complaining that election coverage this year neglects the Big Issues. Roskam has given us all an opportunity to remedy that. So we ask you, Swamp faithful: If you could add one law to the federal registry, what would it be? And -- Roskam didn't ask this, but we will -- if you could delete one law, what would that be? We welcome your thoughts.
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Comments
Suggestions like this insult the intelligence of the voters. The problem with Congress is a corrupted power structure in both parties, combined with shameless parliamentary maneuvering like the use of cloture in the senate. The G.O.P. has been permanently overtaken, it seems, by a sort of opportunistic toxic mold, while the Democratic Party is undergoing a transformation like what happened with AARP in the lead-up to the Medicare vote. People like Nancy off-the-table Pelosi, Harry least-populous-state Reid and Howard delegate-deranging Dean are working for the corporate establishment, not their constituents, in trying to recruit more conservatives into the party. A democratic president would upset their applecart, which is why they're trying to force a candidate with no chance of winning in November down our throats right now. People by and large get this, so that gimmicks like American Idol will do little to distract from the ongoing assault of our democratic institutions through bankruptcy and manipulation. For more on how the 2008 election is being rigged, see the article in thecityedition.com that's linked from my screen name.
Posted by: YRM | April 29, 2008 11:18 AM
Law idea #1:
Republicans cannot talk about "smaller government" in one speech, and then sponsor a political gimmick like Roskam's "There Oughta Be a Law."
Law idea #2:
Republicans cannot talk about "smaller government" in one speech, then push hard for a constitutional amendment to "define" marriage.
Law idea #3:
Republicans cannot talk about "smaller government" in one speech, then increase the size of the government by adding bogus "czars" of this or that, as the Bush administration has done.
Law idea #4:
Republicans cannot talk about "fiscal responsibility" in one speech, then go on to award Wall Street tycoons welfare bailout checks because of their sleazy and greedy business decisions.
Law idea #5:
Republicans cannot talk about "family values" in one speech, and then proceed to philander, steal, cheat, lie or sneak around in airport bathrooms.
Posted by: Grandblvd03 | April 29, 2008 11:21 AM
Yeah, what he said...Grandblvd.
Good laws...somebody get right on that, will ya?
Add to that:
1. The federal government will do business and/or purchase goods only from companies that do NOT outsource. Corporations that comply can have their dang corporate tax cut if they don't outsource.
2. Voting machines of any kind will be utilized as classroom props for civics teachers to use to demonstrate the crippling of democracy. All voting machine designers and peddlers will be deported to Iraq.
3. Special Interest Lobbyist have to spend one year service working to better the demographic their lobbying harms. (Pharma/HMO types have to live off a fixed income and get denied medical coverage while they can't afford the medications they need.)
4. Any elected official, particularly the President... has to live a middle class existence for at least a week...middle class home...middle class income...and try to pay the bills and buy gas and food with the $1.95 they have left after the bills are paid.
And the most important Law!
5. Elected officials must undergo an IQ battery of tests and be strapped to a lie detector machine every single time they speak.
Posted by: Mick | April 29, 2008 12:00 PM
Any tax increase--whatever the rate of increase is, any legislator voting for the tax increase has to pay double that rate.
Let's see them vote for tax increases then!
Posted by: Bruce | April 29, 2008 12:13 PM
You want a law? Okay, this one only took a couple minutes to whip up:
“(a) Whoever, having been duly elected President, Vice-President, Senator or Representative in the House of Representatives of the United States, willfully and knowingly violates his or her oath of office, or willfully and knowingly acts, or omits to act, to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person anywhere in the world in the exercise of any civil or human right under the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States, or combines, conspires, or aids and abets the same, shall be punished by no less than 5 years imprisonment at hard labor, nor more than 20 years at hard labor, a fine up to $10,000,000, and forfeiture of all benefits and emoluments.
“(b) As used in this section, “the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States” shall include any constitutional provision, law or treaty in existence at the time or times of the alleged violation, having been ratified or signed into law before such time or times as complained of, and shall specifically include any treaty with any foreign nation and any multilateral treaty designed to protect the civil or human rights of any person.
“(c) Prosecution, sentence and punishment under this section, shall not require, and shall not be stayed pending the outcome of any proceeding for impeachment, trial or conviction in the Senate. Nor shall any prosecution, sentence, or punishment be stayed or deferred during the pendency of such proceedings.”
Posted by: John W. | April 29, 2008 12:34 PM
I'd outlaw the GOP.
Posted by: Cheryl | April 29, 2008 2:43 PM
“I'd outlaw the GOP.â€
Posted by: Cheryl | April 29, 2008 2:43 PM
I believe you would. Just goes to show you how much of a double standard Democrats have regarding constitutional rights. I guess you have to be a Democrat to have constitutional protection, huh?
Posted by: John W. | April 29, 2008 4:05 PM