Generally, I am not going to comment on politics on this blog for a variety of reasons. But, I have to comment on what is going on in the US right now.
The Democrats are seeking to enact healthcare reform by deeming the Senate version of the bill passed by the House, without having the House actually vote on the Senate bill. My shock and outrage at this plan are so intense that I can hardly believe it is really happening. The US Constitution requires that both the House and the Senate vote for a bill before the President can sign it and enact it into law. Article 7 of the Constitution specifically says:
"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States....But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively."
Nowhere in here do I find any language that permits the House to have deemed to have passed a bill without a yes or no vote and a record of the votes.
It doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree with the healthcare reform bills that are being considered by Congress. What matters is the Democrats are trying to enact legislation through un-Constitutional methods. We should be worried about the precedent that will be set if this actually happends. Today, it is healthcare reform. But, what about in the future when a controlling party wants to enact unpopular legislation without voting on it? If they have this as a precedent to make changes without voting, we could be in real trouble.
America, please, stand up and fight against this un-Democratic move!
Please remember the poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller from the days of the Nazis:
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
- Pastor Martin Niemöller
Speak out now, while you still can!
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