A new procedural reform is in the offing.
And just because it is “procedural” doesn’t mean it’s insignificant.
Or boring.
Remember, how something gets done determines, in part, what gets done. The checks and balances that were written into our Constitution are there to regulate the how of government, the better to limit the what.
But it’s obvious our federal government is out of control, and in need of some additional … controls.
Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Mia Love have introduced just such legislation. It’s not a constitutional limitation, but a legislative change of procedure. The title of their bills pretty much explains the idea: the “One Subject at a Time Act,” initialized as OSTA.
I first heard rumblings about it from Rand Paul; then, just last week, Mia Love sent out her press release, ballyhooing the House version of OSTA, H.R. 4335.
Rand’s Senate version is S. 1572, and was introduced a little over a year ago.
The idea is not new. I’ve talked about it before. You probably have, too. Anyone with sense realizes that the congressional habit of adding unimportant, controversial programs to unrelated but necessary, uncontroversial bills, is a leading cause of government growth.
And one reason why Congress is so roundly detested.
OSTA, by forcing Congress to deal with subjects one bill at a time, might even save Congress from itself.
The bill is still looking for sponsors. You can help by putting your representative’s and senators’ feet to the fire.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
