26-11-2003 07:59									#1
	Should Congress Be Expanded? Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Adam Smith made a point in another thread about rules and regs made by Congress, which got me to thinking. Then the 690 page Kill-Medicare bill was just passed, which was only given to legislators last week, hardly enough time to read the bill.

I was thinking, 635 really isn'ta all that many to be able to specialize in the various bills the Congress needs to deal with.

So, should we increase the size of Congress so we can have more committees with less subjects?

	26-11-2003 08:01									#2
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Right now we have about one Representative for every half million people.

	26-11-2003 08:01									#3
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Any expansion of Congress is a similar expansion of the costs of it.

As the nation grows, the number of seats will grow and more people will be elected. That's a good expansion.

	26-11-2003 08:01									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

No... efficiency will suffer

Seriously. Too many cooks do spoil the pot, I wonder if we have too many... If anything we should have 2 or 3 presidents

	26-11-2003 08:02									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

When it started, there was one Rep for every 30,000.

	26-11-2003 08:05									#6
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Sure if you want less things to get done. Come to think of it that really isn't a bad idea.

quote: Then the 690 page Kill-Medicare bill

If only it was that. However, AARP gave it the organizations full backing.

	26-11-2003 08:11									#7
	Get a bigger avatar today!

That's because the AARP now gets as much money from Insurance sponsorships as it does from membership dues, and this bill is super monster pork for insurance companies. The AARP stands to see a massive increase in its revenues from this bill, even if it loses its membership, which, if its message boards are anything to go by, seems likely to happen.

	26-11-2003 08:18									#8
	Suffering from ads?

Che: Any prescription drug benefit is going to be loaded down with pork to someone regardless of if it is the drug companies or the insurance companies. What is it exactly about this bill that makes you think it is a Kill medicare bill?

	26-11-2003 08:19									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

For the first time in my life, I'm praying that che is right.

	26-11-2003 08:22									#10
	Put an end to popups!

It's designed to syphon medicare and medicaid into private insurers.

	26-11-2003 09:14									#11
	Remove this text

Deregulation at it's best. I don't think the government should be required to give health care... sound bad, huh? I think it should be the responsibility of the companies that have and will hire them.

	26-11-2003 09:16									#12
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

more reps would be better

Jon Miller

	26-11-2003 09:27									#13
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

no! we need less reps and more malt alcholic beverages!

	26-11-2003 09:45									#14
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

If legislation is too long for Congress to read, reduce what Congress can legislate on, not create a bigger Congress...

	26-11-2003 09:53									#15
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara Right now we have about one Representative for every half million people.

That isn't too many. I think we have about 6 MPs for a city proper of slightly less than one million. of course a Canadian back bencher is about as useful as a *** on a bull.

But 635 is a lot. Maybe better staffing for each of what you've got?

	26-11-2003 10:06									#16
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

535, 435 in the House and 100 in the senate

	26-11-2003 10:09									#17
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

NYE:

We have over 300 MPs, and 30 million people. By that reasoning, the US ought to have close to 3K congressmen.

If we have the US numbers, it would be 62 MPs.

So we have much better representation.

Last edited by Ben Kenobi on 26-11-2003 at 10:47

	26-11-2003 10:10									#18
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Too many numbers flying around. The issue would still be staffing though, wouldn't it? You could have 3 people or 3000 who were unprepared, or unqualified to make fast decisions. 3000 would just make more noise doing it.

	26-11-2003 10:13									#19
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Ben Kenobi NYE: We have over 300 MPs, and 30 million peole. By that reasoning, the US ought to have close to 3K congressmen. If we have the US numbers, it would be 62 MPs. So we have much better represetation.

Oh good, a good jack!

Sorry, but quantity does not mean quality. Or do you think it is unimportnat that our PM thinks that talking to back benchers is beneath him?

There is one power in Canada federally. That power is the PMO. That power is somewhat defused through cabinet positions, and through party hacks. However, the tide of power stops well before lapping up on the shores of the back benches.

	26-11-2003 10:25									#20
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Well, the privitization aspect of the Medicare bill is however, the prescription drug aspect of it is

	26-11-2003 10:28									#21
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: Originally posted by notyoueither Sorry, but quantity does not mean quality. Or do you think it is unimportnat that our PM thinks that talking to back benchers is beneath him?

Which PM? Martin or Chretien?

quote: There is one power in Canada federally. That power is the PMO. That power is somewhat defused through cabinet positions, and through party hacks. However, the tide of power stops well before lapping up on the shores of the back benches.

Very true, sir.

	26-11-2003 10:30									#22
	Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by cinch Which PM? Martin or Chretien?

Well, apparently the Mangler doesn't speak to Martin, so...

	26-11-2003 10:49									#23
	Re: Should Congress Be Expanded? Support Apolyton

quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara Adam Smith made a point in another thread about rules and regs made by Congress, which got me to thinking. Then the 690 page Kill-Medicare bill was just passed, which was only given to legislators last week, hardly enough time to read the bill. I was thinking, 635 really isn'ta all that many to be able to specialize in the various bills the Congress needs to deal with. So, should we increase the size of Congress so we can have more committees with less subjects?

Che,

You really don't know what you're talking about. The bill, H.R.1, was introduced into the House Ways and Means Committee on the 25th of June and has been acted on in various ways in the Senate since the 7th of July. This bill is by no means a surprise.

For your reference

Bills like this don't just appear out of thin air.

Committee and Congressional staffers, along with lobbyists, lawyers and CRS people have been all over this bill. It is by no means short, but it's not like people have read it and distilled the important points for each Representative and Senator to read.

All the important bills have people to look at them. Not everything needs to be reviewed page by page by every Congressman. Everyone on the Hill makes sure that all pertinent comes to Congress' attention because there are many people with a finger in this pie.

	26-11-2003 10:52									#24
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: There is one power in Canada federally. That power is the PMO.

I am humbled by your wisdom. Of course I am wrong to suggest that an increase in MPs will increase the representation for a region when we have the all seeing PM of Martin. I blame the evil influences of those who call themselves 'Conservatives.' How could we ever trust the disciples of a man called 'Preston'?

	26-11-2003 11:14									#25
	Suffering from ads?

What part of your post was not a joke?

	26-11-2003 11:22									#26
	Support Apolyton

NYE:

Need to fix your sarcasm detector.

	26-11-2003 11:33									#27
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Got the sarcasm. Just wondering what it addresses when the real problem is party discipline, not the number of MPs.

If you want to indicate that Refooooorm would fix it, I'd have to direct you to the fact that the chances of Ontario or Quebec ever voting for such Prairie populism are measured as somewhat lower than that of an asteroid striking Parliament Hill on Dec 25.

I'm afraid we'll have to find our solutions elsewhere.

	26-11-2003 11:44									#28
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: I'd have to direct you to the fact that the chances of Ontario or Quebec ever voting for such Prairie populism

Considering that more BC folks than Prairie people voted for the Alliance tells me that the party attracts folks from all over.

Many people in Ontario also voted for the Alliance. The problem just has to do with the vote-splitting that a merger will solve.

That's why I called them Conservatives, and not Alliance, since that is going to be the new name. No more progressives. Orchard can start his own party.

	26-11-2003 11:45									#29
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

quote: Originally posted by notyoueither I'm afraid we'll have to find our solutions elsewhere.

... like in the Conservative Party of Canada?

...




Hey, crazier things have happened.

	26-11-2003 11:48									#30
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by Ben Kenobi Orchard can start his own party.

What of ol' Joe Who? Hath he no disciples left?