During the the Senate Ethics Committee's "Keating Five" investigation in late 1989, Alan Cranston absented himself after claiming he was being treated for cancer ( miraculously cured when the hearings ended). At some point a legislative aide, testifying in Cranston's behalf, casually admitted that she, and other staffers, would routinely change, insert and otherwise "clarify" enacted legislation during the conference committee that reconciled differences in House and Senate versions. *Gasps* Big hub-bub ensued, most likely, in retrospect, for the benefit of the C-Span audience.¹
That this could happen was news to me, and begged the question, "How in hell are we to know what laws that govern our behavior were actually debated and voted on, and which were casually inserted by some staffer with a yen?" The 10 million pages, or so, that comprise the Obamacare legislation, prolly contains hundreds of little treasures like the gold buyer tax. We'll find out what they are when the IRS sends the penalty notice.
Am I the only person seething over this, and other corrupt practices by our gummint? I think not. Here's a "fix" that is better than many alternatives that involve bloodshed. Sunset every single law after 10years. I mean every law. If it's worthwhile, it will be reintroduced and reenacted. Most will not. I have a groinal tingle just thinking about it; you do too, wot?
http://curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.c ... ation.html