'We Need A National Debate.....'

How often have you heard some politician or pundit say this?


"We need a national debate about....."


-health care
-the stimulus
-cap and tax/trade
-increased deficit spending


Sounds nice, doesn't it?


Even Wonderboy, in various clips aired on Fox News last night, promised that any health care bill would have the Congressional debates carried on C-Span. They had him on video record making that campaign promise twice. God knows how many more times he said it out of camera range.

Of course, the First Rookie has conveniently forgotten about that promise, hasn't he? Along with the fabled website on which you would be able to view bills for 72 hours prior to Congressional voting.


But what does it really mean to "have a national debate?"


Well, it could mean town hall meetings with your Senator or Representative. But the current administration and Democratic Congressional leadership has declared these to be moot, because voters attending them are "angry."


Sadly, in our system, the "national debate" is supposed to occur, over months, in the Houses of Congress. In the early days of our Republic, such debates were held over bills, after Senators and Representatives had had their ears bent at meetings with their constituents back home. And knowing the earful they'd get upon returning from the current session.

Now, communications are much faster. Emails and phone calls can pour into a Representative's or Senator's office in real time as bills are debated and networks report on the action in Washington.

But, to be realistic, the only "national debates" occur in Congressional Committee rooms, committee chair offices, and perhaps on the floor of the Houses. That's why the recent Democratic bum's rush with health care is so worrying. There's no openness to the crafting of these various health care bills.

At the least, you'd hope that Congress would hold hearings, during which relevant experts, industry participants and pundits could all testify with their ideas, plans and warnings. On the basis of such testimony, various committees could write legislation and invite commentary from these parties. And let's not forget the CBO, which could be scoring various components, the better to be added-up flexibly as Congress actually gets down to writing draft legislation.

Of course, such a process would take time and risk pet liberal concepts being trashed or seen as too costly.

This is what should constitute a "national debate." Not closed-door committee horse-trading on a bill which hasn't actually been printed by Baucus, because it's more concept than legislation.

The way our Constitution is written, the only true national debate you'll see is what C-Span shows on the House or Senate floor. And the only remedy you'll have is at the voting booth every other first Tuesday in November.