Good Idea: Open Letter To Reid and Obama

[Annie]

Publish the bill and wait 5 days for the public to read it:

ReadTheStimulus.org: Open Letter 02-07-09

February 7, 2009

To: Senate Majority Leader Reid, President Obama

Americans face a time of great economic challenge, and have watched with equally great interest as the House of Representatives and now the Senate have crafted legislation designed to address that challenge.

Last night, news of a compromise was announced in the Senate that would provide the sixty votes required to move the bill forward. As of the writing, however, the full details of the compromise have not been made public, and no legislative text has been published for open review.

Majority Leader Reid, we ask that you publish the full legislative text of the compromise immediately, and furthermore, to delay any vote on the bill for at least five days following publication. The American public deserves time to read and understand the substance of this critical legislation, and to express their views to their Senators.

Mr. President, you have pledged that once legislation is passed by Congress, it will be placed online for public review for five days before your signature. In the same spirit, we ask you to add your voice to those encouraging Majority Leader Reid to publish this compromise bill and to allow time for public review during the critical period before the Senate votes.

The American public is watching, and we hope that you both will take these crucial steps to allow citizens to fully understand and participate in the workings of their government.

Sincerely,

....

 

[xsited1]

Call it a 5-day waiting period. Sounds like a great sanity-check for all spending bills.

 

[Annie]

Call it a 5-day waiting period. Sounds like a great sanity-check for all spending bills.

Yep and it's something Obama promised during the campaign. Makes sense.

 

[oreo]

Well, as the new administration promised why not? What was it that President Obama promised--"more transparency" within our government.

I still don't understand this: Only 17% of this huge bill is going to be spent this year. Why not vote on that now & get it done. -if they're in this all fired rush. Then take the time to debate & vote on the remaining 82% that is to be spent in the coming years.

 

[Annie]

Well, as the new administration promised why not? What was it that President Obama promised--"more transparency" within our government.

I still don't understand this: Only 17% of this huge bill is going to be spent this year. Why not vote on that now & get it done. -if they're in this all fired rush. Then take the time to debate & vote on the remaining 82% that is to be spent in the coming years.

Because it is 80%, (give or take) really about spending, not stimulating. As several posters here have said, agreeing with Obama, any spending is 'stimulus.' They are wrong of course, but hey, 'He won!!!'

 

[Gun Clingin']

I love this idea. If Obama would actually listen to this, If Reid would listen to this idea... then they would go up in approval with me. Let us see what's all in this stimulus bill and listen to our input. However I don't think that'll happen. Guess we can always dream and HOPE FOR CHANGE in government.