Saturday, February 14, 2009
Repeal redux
A couple days ago I observed that we no longer repeal laws, at least at the Federal level. Every policy, agency and program is eternal.
The only major exception to this rule in the last 30 years was Newt and Clinton's welfare reform which repealed LBJ's welfare entitlement policy. I thought about amending the original entry to include this exception, but the Feds got ahead of me. As part of this week's monster Stimulus Package, Newt & Bill's reform has been completely undone, returning to LBJ's original welfare entitlement policy.
So the only important repeal in living memory has now been un-repealed, making my observation perfect.
I wish it were otherwise. After all, the only real advantage of representative government is that a legislature can change its mind; if something doesn't work right, or if public sentiment changes, the law can be eliminated or revised. Our founders were Steam Age thinkers who understood the idea of a self-regulating machine. They intended the House to be the main path for feedback, steering to the left when the government was skidding to the right or vice versa. The Senate was meant to be a damper on the House, adding some friction to prevent overcorrection. It was a wonderful machine, but it no longer operates. Policy is mostly generated by unelected judges implementing Lenin's long-term plan to weaken and destroy the country, and neither branch of Congress dares to question the black-robed saboteurs. ¶ 3:23 PM
The only major exception to this rule in the last 30 years was Newt and Clinton's welfare reform which repealed LBJ's welfare entitlement policy. I thought about amending the original entry to include this exception, but the Feds got ahead of me. As part of this week's monster Stimulus Package, Newt & Bill's reform has been completely undone, returning to LBJ's original welfare entitlement policy.
So the only important repeal in living memory has now been un-repealed, making my observation perfect.
I wish it were otherwise. After all, the only real advantage of representative government is that a legislature can change its mind; if something doesn't work right, or if public sentiment changes, the law can be eliminated or revised. Our founders were Steam Age thinkers who understood the idea of a self-regulating machine. They intended the House to be the main path for feedback, steering to the left when the government was skidding to the right or vice versa. The Senate was meant to be a damper on the House, adding some friction to prevent overcorrection. It was a wonderful machine, but it no longer operates. Policy is mostly generated by unelected judges implementing Lenin's long-term plan to weaken and destroy the country, and neither branch of Congress dares to question the black-robed saboteurs. ¶ 3:23 PM
