Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200608/POL20060818a.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPol itics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200608/POL20060818a.html</a> >>A conservative advocacy group wants to know which U.S. senators are secretly blocking a bill that would make politicians more accountable to taxpayers. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (S. 2590) directs the Office of Management and Budget to set up a website that would allow the American public to see which "entities and organizations" are being funded with tax dollars. Introduced by Tom Coburn (R-Okl.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), S. 2590 was approved July 27 by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. However, one or more senators has put a hold on the bill and refused to allow it to come up for debate and action, the American Family Association said. In a message to supporters, AFA said the bill was "hotlined" just before Congress recessed in August. Under a "hotline," a bill passes as long as nobody secretly objects to its passage. But, the AFA noted, the bill did not pass before recess, which means that a secret "hold" was placed on it. "I have no problem with matters such as security or personnel being discussed in secret, but allowing a senator to secretly hold a bill just doesn't seem the way the Senate should work," said AFA Founder and Chairman Don Wildmon. "If a senator opposes a bill, he or she should do so publicly and explain why," he added. The American Family Association is asking its supporters to find out if either of their senators is among those who have secretly blocked the bill. "Send an e-mail to your two Senators telling them you want the Coburn/Obama bill unblocked and passed! No Senator should oppose this bill secretly. Let the Senator come out and say he or she is opposing it and explain why," Wildmon said. Bipartisan sponsors of the bill include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.(, and Minority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), and possible presidential hopefuls Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The website set up under the Senate legislation would include the amount of federal funds an entity has received in each of the last 10 fiscal years; an itemized breakdown of each transaction; the entity's location; and a unique identifier for the entity and its parent entity. The House approved a similar measure in June, but its version of the database would include information only on grants.<<
Originally Posted By cmpaley I wonder what poison pills exist in this bill. The Republicans have no compunction about creating a bill that says wonderful things but has that one poison pill that they KNOW will end up killing the bill. That way, they can come back and say, "See!? The eeeeeeeeeeeeevil 'dems' and 'libs' stopped a bill that had a cool sounding name."
Originally Posted By Darkbeer First off, it is unknown if it is a Republican or a Democrat that is blocking the bill.. The bill has large Bi-Partisan Support, including Senators Harry Reid and Hillary Clinton. If a senator has a problem with the bill, why not come out and say why? But at least one senator wants to keep information about how our tax dollars are being spent secret. This is just another reason why some folks think the system is broken.
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>But at least one senator wants to keep information about how our tax dollars are being spent secret.<< Could be. It's much, much more likely that there's a poison pill hidden in the language that makes the bill unpassable. The concept of accountaiblity...good. Hiding garbage in a good bill for political purposes...evil.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I wonder what poison pills exist in this bill. The Republicans have no compunction about creating a bill that says wonderful things but has that one poison pill that they KNOW will end up killing the bill. That way, they can come back and say, "See!? The eeeeeeeeeeeeevil 'dems' and 'libs' stopped a bill that had a cool sounding name."< only problem with this argument about the GOP again being the problem is the high profile DEM support-- would that be there if there was a poison pill - no ! So before we decide those darn snakes in the grass GOP is at it again, let 's wait to see who it is shall we?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 The senate can be a curious place. It COULD be that there's a poison pill in there, but because of the hold, it's politically unrisky to come out to support it. Not saying that's the case, but it could be. More likely, I think, one or more senators has some organization that's being funded that amounts to either pork or something they'd prefer to keep hidden.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>So before we decide those darn snakes in the grass GOP is at it again, let 's wait to see who it is shall we?<< Watch it turn out to be Joe Lieberman. ; )
Originally Posted By SuperDry The wait is over. The hold was placed by Senator Ted Stevens, R-Alaska: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/30/secret.senators/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITI CS/08/30/secret.senators/index.html</a>
Originally Posted By YourPalEd I for blocking it. I mean, if the republicans are unaccountable, law or no law, why should the honest democrats be made accountable?
Originally Posted By cmpaley So...a REPUBLICAN, the King of Pork, builder of the Bridge to Nowhere is the one. Not surprising at all.
Originally Posted By cmpaley He won't post because it's bad on the Republicans. :-D You'll also note the deafening silence from Beau and Douglas.
Originally Posted By jonvn He won't post because he doesn't unless he's posting just a clip from what someone else has said. So, unless someone from the Washington Times has something to say on the subject of this discussion board, you won't hear from him.
Originally Posted By Moderation I wasn't aware that a rle existed by which a single senator could 'place a hold' on a piece of legislation. If such a p[rocedure existed, I would have thought it would be in constant use- is it only effective at derailing 'fast track' legislation?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Bump. I'm waiting on "tenter hooks" for a Republican reaction.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Waiting, waiting, waiting....... <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/01/alaska.lawmakers.raid.ap/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITI CS/09/01/alaska.lawmakers.raid.ap/index.html</a>
Originally Posted By planodisney so cmpaley, it is bad on the republicans because your original assumption was that it was a democrat secretly holding out to kill a poisoned bill, and now, it is bad on the republicans for a completely different reason. You are a beauty cmpaley. BTW, this guy from Alaska is an idiot!!!
Originally Posted By cmpaley I was expecting the usual hit piece on Democrats (or puff piece on Republicans) that DB is known for posting.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Naw, nothing from Link Boy if it looks bad for the Republicans.
