Legislation

With Congress' disapproval rating at about 90%, Cory Gardner is touting a new House-passed bill, the REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny). Very clever name. Here's a bill that would actually give members of Congress more authority and power, taking any discretion away from the executive branch.

Whether you like the executive or not, you have to admit that Congress isn't exactly a public institution that deserves more authority over our day to day lives. With disapproval ratings that high, more than likely even family members of Congressmen don't think they are doing a good job. Why would we want to entrust them with even more?

Yesterday, two things happened of note to Coloradans concerned about the GOP budget supported by Rep. Gardner. First, as mentioned yesterday, Gardner doesn't think it's fair to criticize the plan and he joined many other freshmen in sending a letter to Obama complaining about it. Apparently, only Gardner and the GOP can use MediScare tactics.

Also interesting yesterday was a report put out by the Kaiser Family Foundation, titled House Republican Budget Plan: State-By-State Impact of Changes in Medicaid Financing. If you were scared by what Cry Gardner plans to do to Medicare, you should be very, very afraid of what's in store for Medicaid for Colorado.

Today I was contacted by Bud Hunt, who is a teacher consultant with the Colorado State University Writing Project, a local affiliate of a national group whose purpose is to help improve the ability of K-12 teachers to teach writing skills to our children. Bud wanted to tell me about The National Writing Project, a program that has a proven record of success, shown in study after study. Why am I so eager to write about this? Because Cory Gardner believes this program is "wasteful and unnecessary spending." I disagree.

In Sunday’s Denver Post, Cory Gardner joined Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI) in talking about H.Res 142, the resolution to require Congressional committee hearings on a recently released GAO report on duplicative federal programs .

Oh, April Fools Day, how you annoy me. Apparently Cory Gardner and the GOP think this is an ideal day to again break their "Pledge to America" on Congressional transparency. Remember what that much touted document said about being able to read bills? I do:

We will give all Representatives and citizens at least three days to read the bill before a vote. (Page 7)

April Fools! They didn't really mean 3 days, especially when they've got to rush to floor another huge waste of everyone's time.