Constituents lose trust in legislators who add unrelated riders to bills

The purity of a bill under legislation is sometimes compromised by one or more riders.

A rider can be an abuse of legislation if it concerns an issue not concordant with its underlying  bill.  It happens when a rider is easier to pass if added to urgent legislation-- a bill that is expected to be voted on.

This legislative abuse lessens peoples' trust with their elected officials.  Why hold hostage bills
that must get passed with unrelated riders?  Constituents are victimized by this abusive legislation.

Businesses must pay their share of the federal budget

Billions of dollars in federal taxes are going each year to tax shelters instead of to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  It seems like a crime, because that money is supposed to go to the budgeted federal government.

The biggest instigators are large businesses.  Instead of paying for services legislated for our nation, they divert their tax monies to banks of foreign countries.

This starving of government is commonly known to journalists.  Most citizens that closely follow the news know about it.  Yet congress and the president in Washington DC don't receive these tax dollars in the Department of the Treasury.  Our nation was declared independent from England in 1776 for fair tax representation.  Let's demand the same from commerce.

Govern the public interest over commerce's

One of the biggest faults in our political system is the government representation of commerce.  As the Republicans get more and more brazen in collaboration with business, the public life of the people is more and more thwarted.

Calling it right wing politics doesn't justify the neglect and abuse of our only citizens, the people.  The Republican Party, and some of the Democrats, have sold their souls to big business, a special interest that has no interest in public issues.

Most Democrats are continually fighting capitalism's hold on legislation.  Socialism pushes it back, but it is its own special interest of the left.  Until our elections bring into office  legislators representing just the people, we will lose integrity in our nation's business.

Giving money to a bill's legislators is wrong

An established method of gaining influence in legislation is to give money to its legislators.

If there is a bill being debated on, even early in the process, special interests affected by it donate money to campaign coffers in favor of a particular outcome.

This is a blatant form of corruption that has no place in the working of the legislative process.  The peoples' representatives should deny access or influence in the form of money, as the money is of no benefit to the deliberation of the legislation at hand.

Don't deny the spirit of the law

Ever try to "beat the system?"  Seems like everyone in this country does it at one time or another in their lives.  It's not a matter of following the spirit of the law, but challenging the letter of it.

And for who's benefit?  Not the lawmakers.

Just because "we can do it" doesn't negate the spirit of a law.

Corporate propaganda

Have you ever wondered why large companies show commercials on Sunday morning political shows?

Don't forget that their primary drive is for the interest of their respective shareholders.  And that's it.  The commercials to the rest of us are pure propaganda.  Do they want lower taxes?  Do they want less regulation?  Are they against anti-trust laws?

Don't be easily taken by their messages to us.  Who are they really for?

Our representatives must always address their entire constituencies

Our representatives publish letters to their constituents on their websites, by email and by other venues.

They must remember that, though most were elected through nomination by political parties, our officeholders are beholden to everyone in their respective districts.

Once in office, our representatives have the duty to address their entire constituency at all times.

A favorite way to contact your representatives is to write to them on their legislature's website

One of the great traditions in democracy is writing letters to your representatives.

For anyone familiar with the former blog Activism News, there is a myriad of methods possible to the constituent for doing so.

One of my favorites is to go directly to my official's own website and write my letter there.  There is always directions there on how to proceed.

All elected officials have their primary websites on their respective houses of legislation sites.  For instance, your US Representative's webpage will be at www.house.gov.

Take this method to heart and your representative will appreciate your cordial visit.

Titles of bills

Have you ever heard the yummy titles of some major bills making their way through legislation?

I can make some up:  "Americans are our first priority act," or "taxpayer relief act."

If you dig deeply into most bills, there is a lot more going on.  Much debate and discussions may fundamentally alter them before the final votes on them are in.

Don't be fooled by the name of some bills-- read more into them and follow them through the legislative process for honest consideration.