There are times at which one sees things with more clarity than they would wish to, and sometimes a news story, like this one which I heard on Rachel Maddow's show last night, is all it takes to open one's eyes. Here it is.
Apparently, the Democrats have secretly hired a professional speed reader, this particular man can read an entire page of writing aloud in 34 seconds. What possible use could they have for a man who can read so fast that it would, undboubtedly, be impossible to understand him? The Democrats wish to pass a bill which is roughly 434 (if my memory serves) pages long, and in an attempt to block the passage of the bill, the Republicans have demanded that every page of the bill be read aloud to the legislature, along with the thousands of amendments that the Republicans have made to it. The strategy here quite similar to the filibuster, simply to make the passage of the bill such a long and arduous process that it becomes impossible.
Is this really something that the founding fathers would be proud to see? Is this really representative government? Or is this just two partisan groups having a pissing match?
"Oh, well I'll make you read hundreds of pages aloud, you'll never get it done!"
"Oh yeah! Well I'll hire a professional speed reader!"
"Well I'm telling!"
Am I the only one who finds it rediculous that instead of actually having an intelligent debate, American legislators are wasting horendous amounts of time reading pages of legal document? Is this really what we want from our government? And, my question to international Escapists, does this kind of nonsensical bullshit happen in your countries too? In Britain, for instance, do Labor, Torry, and the Liberal Democrats decide that they're going to take votes based on whichever side can say "Yay" or "Nay" the loudest, then run out and hire people to custom build the loudest megaphones?
Apparently, the Democrats have secretly hired a professional speed reader, this particular man can read an entire page of writing aloud in 34 seconds. What possible use could they have for a man who can read so fast that it would, undboubtedly, be impossible to understand him? The Democrats wish to pass a bill which is roughly 434 (if my memory serves) pages long, and in an attempt to block the passage of the bill, the Republicans have demanded that every page of the bill be read aloud to the legislature, along with the thousands of amendments that the Republicans have made to it. The strategy here quite similar to the filibuster, simply to make the passage of the bill such a long and arduous process that it becomes impossible.
Is this really something that the founding fathers would be proud to see? Is this really representative government? Or is this just two partisan groups having a pissing match?
"Oh, well I'll make you read hundreds of pages aloud, you'll never get it done!"
"Oh yeah! Well I'll hire a professional speed reader!"
"Well I'm telling!"
Am I the only one who finds it rediculous that instead of actually having an intelligent debate, American legislators are wasting horendous amounts of time reading pages of legal document? Is this really what we want from our government? And, my question to international Escapists, does this kind of nonsensical bullshit happen in your countries too? In Britain, for instance, do Labor, Torry, and the Liberal Democrats decide that they're going to take votes based on whichever side can say "Yay" or "Nay" the loudest, then run out and hire people to custom build the loudest megaphones?
ITS THE PERFECT CRIME!