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TIME for the JANESVILLE line-item veto!

TIME for JANESVILLE line-item veto!

VERY happy to read the front page announcement, “The Janesville line-item veto is back”! THANKS to Frank Schultz for his very informative article which reviews the history of the JANESVILLE line-item veto and information about PAUL RYAN’s re-introduction of the bill NOW! I commend Congressman Ryan! I am writing to my Representative Tammy Baldwin telling her I hope she will vote FOR this bill. I am also writing to our WI Senators, Herb Kohl and Ron Johnson. I HOPE YOU WILL TOO! Do YOU suport the Janesville line-item veto bill?

Remember: The JANESVILLE line-item veto legislation came from the bi-partisan work of two JANESVILLE NATIVES – Russ Feingold and Paul Ryan in 2009. I do NOT think enough attention has been given to the FACT that when both RUSS & PAUL were members of our US CONGRESS, WE THE PEOPLE of JANESVILLE, WI were the ONLY MUNICIPALITY with 2 members of the US CONGRESS! I think we ought to TOUT that fact more. Do YOU?

Now, with RUSS no longer a member of our US Senate, PAUL has enlisted US Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland to co-sponsor the bill. GOOD NEWS too that PAUL is able to announce that a companion bill is being introduced in our US Senate by John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del.

I really do think that the JANESVILLE LINE-ITEM VETO would be a VERY EFFECTIVE way to prevent the HYPOCRISY with EARMARKS which I condemned yesterday, “HYPOCRISY! You shall KNOW the TRUTH and…”

There has been the long-standing CONSTITUTIONAL barrier to a line-item veto as Frank Schultz reports, “Ryan’s bill—like the earlier Ryan-Feingold measure—tries to sidestep the constitutional problem. It requires the president to tell Congress within 45 days of the enactment of an appropriations bill that he wants to cancel certain items of discretionary spending.

“Congress must respond quickly with an automatic up or-down vote on each item.

He quotes, “Can’t amend it, can’t duck it, so we can’t run away from it,” Ryan said with Paul’s confidence that that public exposure could have a chilling effect on the introduction of wasteful spending.

The fact that Ron Zerban, who hopes to run against Paul in 2012 as the DEM candidate, argues that constitutionality has not been tested in court is a NO BRAINER!

Of course NOT… the process is that the BILL must become LAW and then we go through the JUDICIAL REVIEW process! I want to see that WHOLE process! Does Zerban need a refresher American Government & Politics course? (I am teaching “American Government & Politics” at UW-Waukesha Spring semester 2012.)

After all, that’s the next round of the WHOLE process NOW going on vis-à-vis the Health Care Law with our US Supreme Court taking that case this year with a decision anticipated by the end of this term of the Court in June, 2012.

BE SURE to read the WHOLE feature article by Frank Schultz to get more specifics.

Also, read the Gazette’s “Washington Views” column by Congressman Ryan, “Line-item veto would help slash wasteful spending.” I am not allowed to give you a link, but see p. 8A of today’s (12/1) Gazette.

If you want more direct information, I suggest you use this link to Paul’s official website, “U.S. CONGRESSMAN PAUL RYAN” (NOTE: The title is ALL caps!)

THANKS to our Janesville Gazette for this very SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE ACTION taken by our own native-son, US Congressman Paul Ryan!

For full disclosure: I do NOT always agree with Paul’s political views, but I totally RESPECT PAUL. I should also note that PAUL has been VERY forthcoming in support of the WASHINGTON SEMINAR through the years since he was elected to represent the FIRST District of WISCONSIN.

I do HOPE to follow this legislation to its fruition as LAW and then, of course, the JUDICIAL process. What do YOU hope for?

Here we go…

Mr. E.

John Eyster lives in the Edgerton area. He is an adjunct professor of political science at UW-Waukesha and an advocate for democracy/civics education in Wisconsin high schools. John is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. His opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.