Just Gimme Some Truth
Jude Connors
If there is one thing that gets me going, it's seeing grassroots movements for political change. In the recent past, I have seen it taken to a level in the eUSA that I have not personally seen before.
It started September 30th when Devan Kronos posted on the eUSA Forums about Public Disclosure. A huge and great debate started and is still active. In the world of Forums, a debate lasting over a week is HUGE. I sat and watched the thread closely to see where it went.
Then I announced here in Jude's Journal that I was appointed to the Government Oversight Committee. It was then that the transparency in Congress activists started knocking on my door. It was now in the eUSA Forums, the eUSA media, and on the IRC. With all of this support, something was gonna happen for sure, right?
Something was done, alright! Someone suggested "It would save a lot of busywork if they were eliminated and it was just left up to the individual" to report their own voting record. I saw it as a step in the absolute wrong direction and made my voice heard - to many people's dismay. I argued and tried with all I had to get my point across, but I don't think I ever did. This is something that many eAmericans feel strongly about, and I am only making sure that their voices are heard.
Today, House Speaker KillingTime suggested an alternative that I feel is one hell of a great compromise. He offered a forum thread - made viewable to the public - that Senators can log their votes. This is basically the same system we have but without the messiness of the spreadsheets that we currently use.
This is how it was explained to me by KT: After each Congressional vote, a new thread shall be created with the topic as the name of the proposal. Senators can then log their vote for all to see. In addition, a Senator can NOT change what they have posted "in any way whatever". After each term, these records will be moved to the Library of Congress.
This is a great compromise! A public thread that can only be replied by Senators and not edited in any way is about as transparent as Congress can be! It shows eAmericans that Congress has nothing to hide. There should/would be no need to run around from place to place, paper-to-paper, to see how Congress is voting! This solves the problem. Chalk one up to the grassroots movement and public disclosure!
Tonight I host my first town hall open forum in my IRC Office at 19:00 E-Rep Time. I am sure this will be brought up. Head over to #Connors-Office after signing into Rizon. 19:00 E-Rep time!
"No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope"
-GIMME SOME TRUTH by John Lennon
Comments
Nice article Jude thank you for being an open and honest congressman to give hope to all of us information hungry constituents!
Good idear
this is a good compromise those that wish to see the voting records of all candidates can now easily do so
Thanks Jude. Please let us all know when the forum thread is up and running.
That is a great compromise even though we use to do it when I was in Congress months ago. That's progress for you.
Sometimes I think we're simply doomed to repeat ourselves on some issues Jamarcus.
Good info.
I agree KT.
Nice work, Connors. Thanks to Killingtime as well. Sad to see these practices backslide, but we can be grateful for folks like you keeping us on track.
I like this guy.