I Have A Dream PART III

The dream being: that we will once again have a government as it was originally intended by our founding fathers.

And just how was it 'originally' intended? Well, to put it as simply as possible, it goes like this -

An issue arises when someone says, "There oughtta be a law!" Say a stop sign at all intersections. So, a concerned citizen calls up their Representative in the House and proposes that consideration be given to a Federal law that there be some form of traffic control at all traffic intersections. Said Rep agrees and proposes said law in the form of a Bill to be given due consideration by all Representatives in the House. Once gone over by the House and voted on with a simple majority vote, the bill is passed on to the Senate. The Senate considers the Bill, adds whatever ideas, regulations or additions to the bill and votes. If it passes the Senate with a simple majority vote and changes have been made to the Bill, it passes once again into the House where it is reviewed and reconsidered.

The House can add to the Bill proposals and must vote on the revised Bill with the changes offered by the Senate included. Again, with a simple majority vote, it passes once more into the Senate for reconsideration. Any time the bill is added to or changed in any way, provided it passes a simple majority vote, it must be reviewed by both Houses of Congress until such time as they come to an agreement on the final draft of the Bill.

Once in agreement, agreement being a simple majority vote in both Houses, the Bill is presented to the President for approval. The signature of the President makes the Bill an official Law. Should the President Veto the Bill, it then returns to the House of Representatives. The objections of the President are weighed and considered and voted on. This time a two thirds majority must be reached before it passes to the Senate. Again, a two thirds majority vote must be reached by the Senate. Should this occur, the Bill automatically passes into Law.

So, what's wrong with the dream?

It's the stuff that gets added to the Bill as it's being passed around for consideration. The Bill is originally concerned with traffic controls at all intersections, but stuffed into that Bill could be: approval for military contracts ($800,000,000) for new technology to produce new defense rockets, additional financial aide, in the sum of two trillion dollars, to assist Mexico's failing economy, a 7.5% pay raise for Congress, a restriction on parental authority over minors in the areas of abortion, religious upbringing, and educational opportunities, a limitation on port restrictions in the area of foreign trade with Japan, approval for research on cloning the human genome, definitive regulations for all combustion engines produced by manufacturers after the year 2014, a redefining of the phrase "separation of church and state" to no longer include any beliefs that may be considered witchcraft in any form or practice, and last but not least, an increase in the taxation of the top three sevenths of the annual income brackets.

Now, you might be saying that all that other stuff doesn't concern you so you don't care about that, just pass the bill because you agree with the traffic controls. I firmly believe that that is exactly what the main problem is. "We" fail to see the significance all that other stuff and just exactly how each and every one of those additions really do effect us.

How many times must we bail out Mexico's economy? I'm not hating on Mexico, but let's get real and let them actually fix their economy. How much does a Congressman need to make and how come he gets a raise when I've been busting my hump and don't get a red cent for it? I don't practice witchcraft but still, it is considered a religious practice and therefore untouchable by the federal, state and local governments. I may not be a parent, but if I were one, my position would be: I'm the one who makes the decisions for my kids until they prove to me they can make logical, thoughtful, deliberate, sensible decisions concerning their lives or until they turn eighteen and move out on their own. Port restrictions on trade with Japan could very well affect my company which provides a major component to 42.38% of all electronic products sold to Japan by the U.S. Not only that, but my company falls into that top three sevenths bracket and are giving serious consideration for moving to India or China because of lower taxes.

Bottom line: EVERYTHING the government does effects "we" the people in some way, shape or form.