If the Health Insurance Bill Does Not Pass

[dtotire]

If the health insurance bill does not pass due to a few legislators obstructing it, we should consider modifying the Constitution to ensure a more efficient method of passing legislation. I would propose the following steps:

1.For major legislation, the president would appoint a body of experts to draft the bill. All members of this body would be required to be approved by Congress. This bill would then be submitted to Congress for a reading. They would then propose amendments and return the bill to the experts, who would consider them and return the bill to Congress for a vote.

2.If Congress fails to pass the legislation, the President would then submit the bill to the country for a national referendum.

3.To become law, the bill would have to have the approval of a majority of voters in at least half of the states, plus an absolute majority in the entire country.

4. Congress would still be able to enact minor legislation. This needs to be defined further, as to what is major and what is minor. Minor appropriation bills could be enacted, also bills naming .post offices and other government building.


Canada has something similar, but if the legislation is defeated, they call for new elections. A referendum would be simpler, and less costly. A disadvantage is that if a reactionary President was elected, he would try proposing reactionary laws. This is what happened when Thatcher was elected in England. However, she was replaced with a Labor Government afterwards. What do you think would happen if a reactionary President tried to eliminate Social Security or Medicaid? I believe if we adopted the system I suggest, after a few presidential terms, we would have a efficiently functioning government, with universal health insurance, a more progressive income tax, etc.

[MNDemNY]

1. If you can't pass the legislation, How on earth do you think...

you could pass a constitutional amendment?:rofl:

[tekisui]

3. Uncontrollable facepalm on that one.

[dtotire]

4. You would have to have a groundswell of public opinion.

If we continue the way we are going, neglecting public investments, and with a large foreign debt, our living standards will decrease, and we will become a second-rate power. It may take another generation.

[MNDemNY]

5. And passing laws by "majority rule" would be a really "good" thing.

Did you ever hear of "prop 8" just for one example?:think: :spank:

[ixion]

2. so you're saying, if you can't win, cheat... gee that's exactly what the GOP does

what a great suggestion! :eyes:

[dtotire]

6. This is basically what is done in other democracies

We would have national referendums. If a reactionary President wanted to eliminate Medicare, He would have to appoint a body of experts to draft the legislation. They might modify it, but might come up with something better. Congress would have to approve it. If the public does not approve, they would elect a new Congress after their terms expire. We would still have adequate checks and balance. what I have suggested would only be a broad outline, to have a more efficient form of government.

[MNDemNY]

10. This, thankfully is NOT a Democracy, but rather a constitutional republic.

I do not want to live under the tyranny of the majority.

[elocs]

9. I had another DUer suggest that we should be like the GOP believing

"My Party, right or wrong".

My answer was, why would I want to be like the GOP? :shrug:

[sinkingfeeling]

7. So let's trash the Constituition so that committees instead of Congress write laws! Wow!

[aaronbav]

11. "Trash the constitution" - Already happened - by the

MONEY Wielding LOBBYIST. They write the legislation and purchase congress critters to go through the "formality" of passing the "legislation"

The U.S. has the "finest government MONEY can buy"!!

[glinda]

8. I am in-between on this one. Firstly, there will be blocking of appointees to the committees but

if one can get past that, I do think that on some major issues, such as Health Care, there should be a way for the People to over-ride those who are NOT doing the will of the people. Or better yet, there should be a process in each State that pulls in line the people that are supposed to represent them. Am really sick of these people not getting anything done and the level of corruption in regards to bribes from Corporations.