Quote:
Originally posted by ARTelevision
There is absolutely nothing sinister or uncommon in tacking on extra and unrelated legislation to existing bills in Congress. This is a well-established practice and it happens all the time. It is a result of common legislative processes, which involve compromise and large doses of power-brokering in order to get things through both houses.
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I understand rider bills happen. This situation is a perfect example of why they shouldnt. Personal agendas can be set into motion with little resistence to stop them.
An indecency bill that is linked with a military appropriations bill. Correct me if Im wrong as but when a legislative consolidation happens; its you cant have one without the other. Those voting couldnt vote yes on the defense bill and no on the indecency. Its either all or nothing.
I should have put IMO. Yes they happen all the time, and yes I think 75% its being done to force a vote. Sly, shady, sinister. Does this particular rider not show you theres a critical problem here?
One Senator; One man successfully slipped that in. That bill is a slow continous peck at the foundation of our first amendment right. No theres no threat of the SS storming in if something is deemed obscene. Just a possible $3,000,000 fine. Guess what; obscenity doesnt have to orginate from a private citizen complaint. Regulatory committees at State and National levels will have the authority to deem what is obscene. No offense but if its a predominately conservative christian board; the outcome is may be frictional to those that dont carry the same beliefs. Im not slamming christian values, I dont think I need to comment on the potential social situation this could cause.
Rider bills are an issue all to themselves. Imagine getting a warning that if particulars of artelevision.com were considered obscene by people that dont share the same views as you, and failure to modify the "violations" would result in fines of great magnitude.
There are factories dumping waste in our rivers, thousands of Americans are in harms way, the terror threat is stated as being a when situation not an if; and Senator Brownback and those like him are making America safer by going after speech on the radio and TV.
Its completely insane to me. This is about to become law. Do you think that it will end there? Should it?
This prime example of slimy bill riding is fucked. But hey I do have to respect that its made it that far with little opposition. So its the will of the masses even if they dont know about it. and what the hell complacency can contribute to life being simpler.