Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Governance Ruminations

Good Represenative Government
One of the great failings of the lastCongress was their essential do-nothingness. They logged one of the least working hours ever. A simple (but surprisingly hard) way to win over the American people is to support working 5 days a week.

I know the house of representatives got used to 3 day work weeks with 4 days of schmoozing and money raising, but the Dems could really get the support of us average workers if they would have the grace to Treat Their Job Like It Is Fucking Important. They are running the country, not a country club. So do your job for a whole work week. Hold extra hearings if you can't find ways to fill the day. Exert some oversight. You know, do your job. That is a simple concept. The American people will respect it.

Good Representative Governance
Also, try to end corruption. Police yourself above all (with respect to unethical behavior). Remember your role as a public steward. And try to keep earmakrs down, for the love of god. If someone wants money in their district, make them earn it. Make them at least work on their appropration enough to put it through a committee based on actual merits. Naturally a signature piece of legislatation made need a bit o' the bacon grease. But vow to keep it below 100, even thought the outgoing folks (R) were around 6,000+


A Democratic President and Congress
Only a Democratic Presidential candidate can propose a solution that could actually be implemented. The only action the Dems can take is to investigate.The mistakes made in Iraq have been hidden by the GOP and Bush, not to mention the reality of the situation on the ground. The Dems should vow to hold 5 or 6 day work weeks, with lots of long hours, in order to discover what really has been going on the last three years. Only once we have the true picture of the facts on the ground can we devise a change. Have 'em even send congressional investigation committees to Iraq and the neighboring countries (hopefully composed of ex-military staff and hard nosed professional diplomats, not some namby pamby staffer who's parents donated a lot of cash, a la "Life in the Emerald City").

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