The Bunning Circus that captivated our attention over the past week has finally ended. One man proved that the definition of a majority in the US Senate is nothing more than one arrogant, self-serving, Republican Senator with the ability to hold up an emergency spending bill with a vote of 1-99. Except if you watched the local news you might have thought that it was a Democratic plot to deprive local physicians of a living wage.
Government only works when the sun shines on the actions of legislators. Colorado has a sunshine law that says that any time two or more legislators or members of any government agency or policy making group meet; the meeting must be open to the public. Of course those open meetings only achieve their goal if a member of the public also attends the meeting, preferably a member of the press who is interested in reporting unbiased facts.
The federal government needs the same kind of regulation, and Senator Bennet is introducing a bill designed to disinfect some of the smoke filled rooms in Washington with a little sunshine, although the best we will get is partly cloudy. His proposed reforms are nowhere near as sweeping as Colorado’s laws, and have little probability of being passed as proposed. Kudos to Bennet--he is trying to end the arrogant, self-serving majority of one. He is even trying to make it illegal for a former legislator to become a lobbyist. Good luck on that one, but thank you for standing up and trying to do what is right.
Homework:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14501882
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14502062
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/open/00openmeet.htm
Government only works when the sun shines on the actions of legislators. Colorado has a sunshine law that says that any time two or more legislators or members of any government agency or policy making group meet; the meeting must be open to the public. Of course those open meetings only achieve their goal if a member of the public also attends the meeting, preferably a member of the press who is interested in reporting unbiased facts.
The federal government needs the same kind of regulation, and Senator Bennet is introducing a bill designed to disinfect some of the smoke filled rooms in Washington with a little sunshine, although the best we will get is partly cloudy. His proposed reforms are nowhere near as sweeping as Colorado’s laws, and have little probability of being passed as proposed. Kudos to Bennet--he is trying to end the arrogant, self-serving majority of one. He is even trying to make it illegal for a former legislator to become a lobbyist. Good luck on that one, but thank you for standing up and trying to do what is right.
Homework:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14501882
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14502062
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/open/00openmeet.htm
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