Last weekend I saw a disgruntled citizen with a sign that read "Congress read the bills; we read ours". Now I understand that a citizens group is asking Congressmen and Congresswomen to sign a pledge that promises that they will read bills before voting on them. What a novel, wonderful idea - to actually know what is in a bill before voting on it! We should add this to the Constitution as an amendment!
The founders just assumed that any reasonable representative would do that. Representative Hoyer, the House majority leader, laughed at the idea of pledging to read bills before voting. How can anyone in Congress be arrogant enough to laugh at a legitimate request from citizens? Anyone who laughed at this idea owes the American public an apology. After laughing Representative Hoyer stated that the health care bill would not pass if you had to read it.
If it can't pass if Congress actually knows what is in the bill, it shouldn't pass. What is this - a Star Chamber? Should bills be passed in secrecy?
All bills should be read by those who vote on them. It would be irresponsible to not do so! The public should also know what is actually in them. Where is the promised transparency? This country deserves better from Congress. I, for one, will observe who in Congress signs the pledge to read bills before voting.
Signed,
The Electorate
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