is george orwell a prophet, perhaps?

[GeorgiaMiddie2]

I received this email from my dad after a sent him a picture of a man holding up a sign that read "Bush/Cheney 1984". for those of you who arent familiar with the book, it basically tells how government (Big Brother) controls the lives of America and takes away everyone's privacy, yet no one is willing to speak out because of the persecution and punishment they will receive. That's a bad summary, but it's been a while since i read it. i highly recommend it if you havent actually read the story. anyhow, back on topic, here's the email.
_________
It's truer than you think.

This week, it was discovered that "some Congressional Aide" inserted
wording into the 14-lb./1000-page Federal omnibus spending bill that
would allow the chairmen of the House and Senate appropriations
committees, or their agents, to examine the tax returns of any American.

The bill was actually passed by the House and a copy was flown via
military aircraft to Chile so that "W" could sign it immediately, but
the wording was discovered by a Senate staffer on Saturday and the bill
was returned for re-approval.

Here's the article...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/21/tax.provision/index.html

In another blatantly arrogant act, House Republicans last week gave Tom
DeLay (R-Texas) a nice reward for helping the G.O.P. win five extra
seats from his home state of Texas in the congressional elections: a
rule change so he won't automatically have to step aside as majority
leader if an Austin grand jury indicts him in a campaign-finance probe.

Here's the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/22/delay.tm/index.html

This is the new moral administration!
____________

kinda scary, huh?

[stegmakk]

The first story really does scare me...
Read between the rhetoric...Everyone seems to be blaming "someone" for slipping that provision in...BUT they really should be blaming themselves...
Basically everyone who approved this long bill did so either not READING the bill, or knowing about the provision...
Yes, 1,000 pages is alot...but it is their JOB to read these things through and keep our interests in mind...Their job isnt to give interviews, or prance around from fundraiser to fundraiser...their JOB is to run the country and if it means reading through a 1,000 page bill BEFORE they frickin vote on it...then that is what they should be doing...

The second one...yeah...where's the republicans' moral and ethical standards now...

[Longest]

No one reads the bills. That's not hyperbole, it's a fact. What with all the riders, provisos, etc, the people that vote do not actually read the bills, nor do they read the budget, the tax code, or anything else for which they are responsible.

Dan

[GeorgiaMiddie2]

you're right... they dont.... their advisors do it for them... but, i still think it's wrong that they kind of thing can slip through like that, and then bush goes ahead and signs the thing. in a way, it shows how the advisors have as much power as the legislators at times.

[TheKOB]

note that it's "some congressional aide", not "some congressional aide (D)" or "some congressional aide (R)".

[roughrider]

George Bush must have a copy of that book by his bedside and reads it religously looking for ideas.

[Thrillhouse]

The second one...yeah...where's the republicans' moral and ethical standards now...

I would say same as the democrats, seeing how they don't have a similar rule; however they changed the rule so such situations would be decided by a case by case basis, which is still more then what the democrats do. Even by changing the rules, they hold themselves to a higher standard then the democrats hold themselves to.

[TheKOB]

you're right... they dont.... their advisors do it for them... but, i still think it's wrong that they kind of thing can slip through like that, and then bush goes ahead and signs the thing. in a way, it shows how the advisors have as much power as the legislators at times.

All of congress is responsible...even if the majority of them are Republicans.

[stegmakk]

I wasn't that appalled by #2...
I am more pissed at #1...
granted they have "aides" or advisors...but that ISN't who I elected to do the work...
It is their JOB to know what is going on...and those "aides" or advisors or whipping boys...they at least are supposed to read this thing yes? then why was this not brought up earlier?
maybe I am making a big deal out of nothing...but this example to me shows that no one really pays attention to what is being put in front of them...Ive seen more attention to reading in a frat house on spring break...

[Longest]

I wasn't that appalled by #2...
I am more pissed at #1...
granted they have "aides" or advisors...but that ISN't who I elected to do the work...
It is their JOB to know what is going on...and those "aides" or advisors or whipping boys...they at least are supposed to read this thing yes? then why was this not brought up earlier?
maybe I am making a big deal out of nothing...but this example to me shows that no one really pays attention to what is being put in front of them...Ive seen more attention to reading in a frat house on spring break...

I share your outrage at the fact that these people do not even really do the job they are paid for, that of understanding and passing legislation for the benefit of the country.

Dan