The bailout bill gives us an opportunity to view how government works. There are two main points I want to illustrate: in order to pass any legislation it is necessary to add unrelated earmarks, effectively buying off potentially dissenting politicians. The country wastes tens of billions in earmarks annually, which are arguably unconstitutional, yet nonetheless a mainstay in Washington business. Second, this bill now consists of over 450 pages and has a title entirely unrelated to the subject matter, which is actually a varied conglomeration of pork. Note the bill title on this vote scorecard. Legislation should be simple, titled correctly to address the nature of the bill, and generally understandable. Only measures consistent with the nature of the bill should be included.

Over $100 billion in unrelated expenditures have been tagged onto this bill to make it more palatable to dissenting Congressmen. Even a landmark healthcare initiative was tucked away in a bill that is sold to the public as a financial rescue package.  There is a provision “demanding that insurance companies provide coverage for mental health treatment—such as hospitalization—on parity with physical illnesses.”

Whatever you think of the merits of government funding this sort of healthcare, I think most of us can agree that a financial relief package, sold to the American public as such, should not include coverage for mental health treatment.

What’s disgusting is that this healthcare initiative has previously stalled “because of disagreements again over how to pay for its estimated $3.8 billion five-year cost. In the current climate, that seems to be no longer a stumbling block, and if the Treasury plan becomes law, it will also.”

This is no way to ratify legislation. We need transparency, dissolution of earmarks and other special appropriates used to confer power and favors. And there’s no reason a law should consist of over 450 pages. This is too long for even the legislators voting on it to fully understand its components. I propose we limit legislation to a maximum of 10 pages. If you cannot fit the important components of a law into 10 pages there is something wrong with the law in the first place.

Finally, let me call attention to the insult of this bill’s title. I didn’t believe it at first, but the financial relief bill is titled:

“To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide earnings assistance and tax relief to members of the uniformed services, volunteer firefighters, and Peace Corps volunteers, and for other purposes.”

Are we living in Orwell’s domain of Big Brother or are we living in the United States of America?

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