4 ms·

Even if one agrees these are good things and needed, why does our congress not pass these laws individually so they can be voted and understood for their own wo

Even if one agrees these are good things and needed, why does our congress not pass these laws individually so they can be voted and understood for their own worth?

smt88 5y ago
Lots of reasons, one of which is that the Senate is rigged to favor rural places and doesn't represent the majority of Americans anymore. Even reasonable, popular bills are unable to pass.
- zrail 5y ago
  The Senate was rigged from the jump to favor states with lower populations. That clause is also the only part that is immune from the amendment process. It's never represented the people, it's always represented the states. The problem at the moment is that the person in charge of one of the two equally sized factions in power has zero interest in doing any kind of leadership or legislating. That's why nothing is happening.
  - smt88 5y ago
    > It's never represented the people, it's always represented the states. ...which is a lot less of a problem if the House and the Presidency represent the majority. Then the Senate functions as intended: a check on the "mob" of democracy. But now we're in a position where most states are gerrymandered, the Electoral College also heavily favors the rural minority, and the judiciary has been intentionally hijacked by abusing the rural bias. It makes sense if you think about it. Given hundreds of years to figure it out, eventually a minority interest is going to find a way to engineer the federal system to seize (and retain) power against the will of the majority.
icegreentea2 5y ago
Packaging things this way lets representatives and senators more effectively barter for support - "I'll support this bill if you add this other thing" is more effective tactic with these large omnibus bills. You can argue if this is good or not for the country, but the argument definitely is that it allows a representative more tools/leverage for his constituency, and that it allows for more effective compromises. Any attempt to reversing this trend requires dealing with that line of argument.

Even if one agrees these are good things and needed, why does our congress not pass these laws individually so they can be voted and understood for their own worth?

smt88 5y ago

Lots of reasons, one of which is that the Senate is rigged to favor rural places and doesn't represent the majority of Americans anymore. Even reasonable, popular bills are unable to pass.

zrail 5y ago
The Senate was rigged from the jump to favor states with lower populations. That clause is also the only part that is immune from the amendment process. It's never represented the people, it's always represented the states. The problem at the moment is that the person in charge of one of the two equally sized factions in power has zero interest in doing any kind of leadership or legislating. That's why nothing is happening.
- smt88 5y ago
  > It's never represented the people, it's always represented the states. ...which is a lot less of a problem if the House and the Presidency represent the majority. Then the Senate functions as intended: a check on the "mob" of democracy. But now we're in a position where most states are gerrymandered, the Electoral College also heavily favors the rural minority, and the judiciary has been intentionally hijacked by abusing the rural bias. It makes sense if you think about it. Given hundreds of years to figure it out, eventually a minority interest is going to find a way to engineer the federal system to seize (and retain) power against the will of the majority.

icegreentea2 5y ago

Packaging things this way lets representatives and senators more effectively barter for support - "I'll support this bill if you add this other thing" is more effective tactic with these large omnibus bills. You can argue if this is good or not for the country, but the argument definitely is that it allows a representative more tools/leverage for his constituency, and that it allows for more effective compromises. Any attempt to reversing this trend requires dealing with that line of argument.