[Gamoe]

I don't know if this qualifies for the Politics/War sub-forum, but I think that it will have such widespread effect, that it should not be limited to regular political talk. Have a read: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050511-4895.html

[sideus]

http://forums.macnn.com/political-war-lounge/

[Hugi]

What's the deal with those "attached bills" in the US senate? Those Real ID passes don't seem to have anything to do with military expenses, yet the two are voted on at the same time?

I realize this is not the political forum, I'm just really, really baffled by this. What are the benefits from voting on two entirely different issues at the same time?

[GSixZero]

Tacking unrelated bills on as amendments is a way to assure it's passage. Since national ID cards is a controversial topic, it would have been unlikely to pass on its own. Nobody wants to get pegged for voting against military expenses these days ("I voted for it before I voted against it."), so there's really no way to defeat these amendments.

[Hugi]

Originally Posted by GSixZero

Tacking unrelated bills on as amendments is a way to assure it's passage. Since national ID cards is a controversial topic, it would have been unlikely to pass on its own. Nobody wants to get pegged for voting against military expenses these days ("I voted for it before I voted against it."), so there's really no way to defeat these amendments.

But why is this allowed? Doesn't make any sense to me.

[greenamp]

Originally Posted by Hugi

Those Real ID passes don't seem to have anything to do with military expenses...

Or do they

[GSixZero]

Originally Posted by Hugi

But why is this allowed? Doesn't make any sense to me.

They're allowed because nobody wants to get rid of them. This is a very common tactic for both parties to employ to get their stuff passed. More than being helpful to any particular party, it's very helpful to the individual representatives/senators. They use this tactic to attach big money projects in their home district. That town in Alabama where the senator's mom lives needs a new bridge? No problem. Tack a $15 million amendment on to a bill stiffing drug laws. A Maine district wants to attract more high tech industry? No problem. The senator from Maine attaches $7 million amendment to an environmental bill to build a new government biotech lab in Portland. etc etc etc. You get the idea.

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by Hugi

But why is this allowed? Doesn't make any sense to me.

It doesn't make any sense. This is just another legal device designed for circumvention of normal reasonable processes, just like filibustering, lobbying and the electoral college.

Edit: Exactly what GSixZero said! Everybody wants to be able to use this for their own purposes. It's no wonder these things aren't up to us the voters. Do you think something that ridiculous and unethical would pass a popular (or even state by state!) vote here in the U.S.? And, yet whose $$$$$$ are they using?

[Hugi]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Morales

It doesn't make any sense. This is just another legal device designed for circumvention of normal reasonable processes, just like filibustering, lobbying and the electoral college.

Edit: Exactly what GSixZero said! Everybody wants to be able to use this for their own purposes. It's no wonder these things aren't up to us the voters. Do you think something that ridiculous and unethical would pass a popular (or even state by state!) vote here in the U.S.? And, yet whose $$$$$$ are they using?

OK, I thought so.

Politicians everywhere are the same. We need to throw a huge international political conference, somewhere - for example in North Korea - and when most of the world's politicians are there, we nuke it. Two problems solved at the same time.