Vote Now, Read Later: Democrats Plan a Bush-Like Push on Economic Stimulus Legislation
jonathanturley
President George Bush and the GOP were long criticized for forcing through the Patriot Act, Iraq resolution and other major legislation without adequate time for most members to read, let only discuss, the legislation. The Democrats often folded in the face of such pressure — only later admitting that they never read intelligence reports or the bills themselves. Now, Democrats appear to be doing the same thing with economic legislation that the Republicans did with national security legislation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that she wants an almost $1 trillion stimulus package on the desk of President Obama by January 20th.
Both Democrats and Republicans are objecting for good reason. This country now routinely pass legislation with less scrutiny than a small city council budget. The power-push technique has repeatedly gotten us into trouble with things like the Patriot Act and the Iraq resolution. Let’s make the math. If the plan weighs in at a conservative $800 billion, that would be roughly time to review roughly $53 billion a day Pelosi is promising just one hearing on the whole package. I guess this is why the Senate get the title “the world’s most deliberative body.”
