Comments for GovTrack.us http://www.govtrack.us/blog Site news and community analysis of U.S. legislation, at GovTrack.us. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:49:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Site Updates in September, December 2008 by Pam http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/12/20/site-updates-in-september-december-2008/#comment-1155 Pam Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:30:54 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=112#comment-1155 I have been looking for you all my life to help me keep watch on my government and the hack job they have been pulling on the citizens of this great country! It's been so hard to get my worries answered, thank you, I will be with you as long as I live! I'm going to put your widget on my blog! I have been looking for you all my life to help me keep watch on my government and the hack job they have been pulling on the citizens of this great country! It’s been so hard to get my worries answered, thank you, I will be with you as long as I live! I’m going to put your widget on my blog!

]]> Comment on Economic Stimulus Bill details by Josh Tauberer http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/economic-stimulus-bill-details/#comment-1105 Josh Tauberer Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:38:14 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=107#comment-1105 I don't really know what the alternatives are. Co-opting a bill as they did avoids the committee system (since it had already gone through committee), for instance. Are there other ways to avoid committee referral? How fast can a committee process a bill, or does that give up too much power to the committee chair? I don't know the answers to those questions. I don’t really know what the alternatives are. Co-opting a bill as they did avoids the committee system (since it had already gone through committee), for instance. Are there other ways to avoid committee referral? How fast can a committee process a bill, or does that give up too much power to the committee chair? I don’t know the answers to those questions.

]]> Comment on Economic Stimulus Bill details by Tom O http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/economic-stimulus-bill-details/#comment-1101 Tom O Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:47:52 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=107#comment-1101 Josh - thanks for trying to keep these posts on point. It is interesting that the House and Senate use previously passed bills as the legislative foundation run thru new emergency bills - apparently simply ammending the entire bill's text. Is this work-around used to avoid otherwise arduous legislative processes that make it impossible to enact ermergency legislation at necessary speed? Thanks if you can comment. Josh - thanks for trying to keep these posts on point. It is interesting that the House and Senate use previously passed bills as the legislative foundation run thru new emergency bills - apparently simply ammending the entire bill’s text. Is this work-around used to avoid otherwise arduous legislative processes that make it impossible to enact ermergency legislation at necessary speed? Thanks if you can comment.

]]> Comment on Site Updates in September, December 2008 by David Connolly http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/12/20/site-updates-in-september-december-2008/#comment-1089 David Connolly Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:51:18 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=112#comment-1089 Congress has very limited powers that are set forth in the Constitution, where they can not be expanded to the states in Union. Besides that, Congress operates under International law and the district courts are courts of contract (Clearfield Doctrine), limited to maritine and civil actions, between the states. Congress, like the states operate in bankruptcy (March 9, 1933), thus, going against all laws of bankruptcy, and without lawful powers. Congress has very limited powers that are set forth in the Constitution, where they can not be expanded to the states in Union. Besides that, Congress operates under International law and the district courts are courts of contract (Clearfield Doctrine), limited to maritine and civil actions, between the states. Congress, like the states operate in bankruptcy (March 9, 1933), thus, going against all laws of bankruptcy, and without lawful powers.

]]> Comment on What happens when the clock strikes 2009? by Josh Tauberer http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/11/08/what-happens-when-the-clock-strikes-2009/#comment-1072 Josh Tauberer Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:36:43 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=110#comment-1072 Good luck with your project. See my reply to your comment on this post: http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/if-the-house-version-is-defeated-does-the-senate-bill-die-too/. That is, I hope you don't presume yourself to be qualified as a constitutional scholar. Good luck with your project. See my reply to your comment on this post: http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/if-the-house-version-is-defeated-does-the-senate-bill-die-too/. That is, I hope you don’t presume yourself to be qualified as a constitutional scholar.

]]> Comment on If the House version is defeated, does the Senate bill die too? by Josh Tauberer http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/if-the-house-version-is-defeated-does-the-senate-bill-die-too/#comment-1071 Josh Tauberer Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:32:45 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=108#comment-1071 Anonymous: I don't know. I expect that staffers from the two sponsoring offices get together for a chat, but I don't really know. John: I don't think your point about constitutionality is really right. I'm certainly no lawyer or constitutional expert, but it seems to me that a law is valid just until it is thrown out by a court. That is to say, a law isn't/can't be "unconstitutional" until a judge says so, and that doesn't happen over night, so even if a law turns out eventually to get thrown out, there still may be a long time in which it's essentially "valid". Anonymous: I don’t know. I expect that staffers from the two sponsoring offices get together for a chat, but I don’t really know.

John: I don’t think your point about constitutionality is really right. I’m certainly no lawyer or constitutional expert, but it seems to me that a law is valid just until it is thrown out by a court. That is to say, a law isn’t/can’t be “unconstitutional” until a judge says so, and that doesn’t happen over night, so even if a law turns out eventually to get thrown out, there still may be a long time in which it’s essentially “valid”.

]]> Comment on What happens when the clock strikes 2009? by John http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/11/08/what-happens-when-the-clock-strikes-2009/#comment-1070 John Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:29:42 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=110#comment-1070 I can't wait for the new session to start because I am also starting my internet tv show. Congressional Corner http://www.ustream.tv/channel/constitution-corner where I will be exposing unconstitutional pieces of legislation and those who sponsor, cosponsor and vote in favor of them. I can’t wait for the new session to start because I am also starting my internet tv show. Congressional Corner http://www.ustream.tv/channel/constitution-corner where I will be exposing unconstitutional pieces of legislation and those who sponsor, cosponsor and vote in favor of them.

]]> Comment on If the House version is defeated, does the Senate bill die too? by John http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/10/17/if-the-house-version-is-defeated-does-the-senate-bill-die-too/#comment-1069 John Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:20:54 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=108#comment-1069 Congress realizes that there are bills that are not very "popular", so they start one in the House and one in the Senate and run them both. If one fails, the other might go through. But if either of them violate the Constitution in any way, they won't even be valid if the Prez signs them. Congress realizes that there are bills that are not very “popular”, so they start one in the House and one in the Senate and run them both. If one fails, the other might go through.

But if either of them violate the Constitution in any way, they won’t even be valid if the Prez signs them.

]]> Comment on Site Updates in September, December 2008 by Thomas Nacey Jr. http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/12/20/site-updates-in-september-december-2008/#comment-1058 Thomas Nacey Jr. Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:52:16 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=112#comment-1058 Thank you for a very clear picture on how our representatives vote. I am a treasurer for a Union PAC fund and I make a monthly report to the membership on various bills and legislation that seems pertinent to working people. I should've bookmarked your site in the past ; I will definately do it now. Thanks! Thank you for a very clear picture on how our representatives vote. I am a treasurer for a Union PAC fund and I make a monthly report to the membership on various bills and legislation that seems pertinent to working people. I should’ve bookmarked your site in the past ; I will definately do it now. Thanks!

]]> Comment on What happens when the clock strikes 2009? by VPG http://www.govtrack.us/blog/2008/11/08/what-happens-when-the-clock-strikes-2009/#comment-1039 VPG Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:26:53 +0000 http://www.govtrack.us/blog/?p=110#comment-1039 It's almost the flip side. ;) Whatever's Clever. It’s almost the flip side.
;)

Whatever’s Clever.

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