My colleague Geoff suggests that my previous post might be off the mark:
Yes, often the final bill isn’t available with enough time to read it before a vote. However, versions of the bill (and any amendments to the bill would be clearly demonstrated in a new write up) would be available for review with plenty of time. While I agree that some bills can get pushed through with little or no debate, I do not buy into (in many cases the cop out) from our elected officials that they didn’t know what they were voting for. Fact is, they know from day one.
Since most laws add new bad stuff (rather than subtract old bad stuff), I suppose I have a natural bias for slowing down the process by any means necessary. Perhaps having a “cooling off” period would allow journalists and government watchdog groups to expose pork before it becomes law. Then again, it’s true that those who agitate for more spending could just as easily use the cooling off period to mobilize and claim the bill is underfunded. Maybe we’re just doomed.