Democracy, Congressional Voting and Accountability -George A. Polisner

The present system of shoveling many disconnected issues, laws, regulations and appropriations into one bill is an affront to the people our lawmakers are mandated to represent.  We, the people cannot properly validate whether our representatives in Congress or the White House are accountable to their respective constituents. It is time for each law, regulation, amendment, and appropriation to stand upon its own.  Here's why ...

If a Congressperson in Kansas with some fundamental, worthwhile legislation such as ... raising the Federal Tax Credit on Hybrid Vehicles to $3,000 to incent more people to purchase clean/green technology vehicles, helping the environment and reducing our dependency upon oil imports.  Sounds like a great idea right ?  Well, in order to get enough votes for passage, a section is added appropriating $20,000,000 for highway repair in Texas.  In order to get some additional votes, a tax credit for multinational corporations to perform Oil exploration off of the coast of California, etc.  

By the time the bill is introduced, the original idea of helping the environment and reducing oil dependence is virtually obscured.  If my Representative or Senators vote to pass the bill, were they voting to encourage oil-drilling off the California Coast ?  Then, if I live in California, on the coast, I am very unhappy with them.  See the problem ?  

It is time to break out all of the elements that are lumped into a bill, and vote and pass them on their own merit.  This will allow us to understand who is clearly representing the people, and who is representing money and special interests.