Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Our Democracy at work, Sneaky Democrat Version

How am I supposed to integrate this little gem of a story into my idea of what it means to be a Democratic member of Congress who serves their constituency? I call the office of Rep. Susan Davis (some kind of D, CA) to find out how she is going to vote on CAFTA, the boondoggle Central American Free Trade Agreement. Her office aide, at 6:00pm EST, claims that Susan has not taken a position on the bill yet; she has not taken a position for months on this bill, despite numerous questions from press and public. I ask, "you mean she is planning on voting on the bill tonight but hasn't formed an opinion yet?" "Yes that's right," the aide responds with what must be a really straight face back there in the humid land of shirtsleeves at midnight. I ask, "well then; what time will the vote occurr? today sometime?" and wait for an answer, like it matters what this toady will say to me to describe the spinless actions of his toady boss. "We think it will be late, ten or maybe even midnight," he says, and I begin to wonder, why the hell am I putting up with this weasel? You call this open government, or democracy? Votes at midnight and she won't say what she's going to say as our representative? Fuck this; we need a new Democrat here, one that represents us or at least will tell us what she's going to do with our franchise.

Sounds like a time for an independence thing: you know,
" He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures."

That was in congress way back in 1776. It could happen again.

Update 9:45 pm pst:
She voted against it, in a roll call vote at 12:03 am EST. But CAFTA passed, 217-215, thanks to the 15 Democrats who did Tom Delay's bidding and voted for it. What a bunch of weenies, Susan included; she could have come out with a position a long time ago, but instead supported the Republican corporations by waffling for a year. Ptui.