Congress turns bill titles into acts of exaggeration

[Newsjock]

Source: Los Angeles Times

It wasn't enough to introduce HR 145 this year. Instead, the Republican-sponsored bill became the Revoke Excessive Policies that Encroach on American Liberties Act. Or for easy reference, the REPEAL Act targeting President Obama's healthcare overhaul.

Congressional bills used to be known by succinct, nonpartisan names — say, the Homestead Act or Civil Rights Act. But these days, many lawmakers are opting for partisan stingers that, in the words of a former House historian, "poke the opposition in the eye."

This new generation of attack titles is ratcheting up the gamesmanship among lawmakers in both parties who are vying to make their bills stand out from the thousands introduced every year.

... "The fact is that everything on Capitol Hill has become incredibly polarized along partisan lines, and members of each side of the aisle try to take advantage of anything they can get their hands on to outflank their opponents," said Julian Zelizer, a congressional historian at Princeton University. "So it's logical that eventually even the name of bills would be another mechanism to stick it to the other party."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-0620-titles-20110620,0,504693.story

[somone]

1. Too bad Democrats never passed the FRATWGF Act

Fuck Republicans And Their Whole Goddamn Family

[Odin2005]

2. It's a way for Pukes to play "GOTCHA" on Dems come election season.

They and the MSM will repeat ad-nauseum "This LIBRUL voted against the Liberty for America Act! Why do they hate liberty?"

[jmowreader]

3. They should be glad I'm not a senator right now...

because the first bill I would drop into the hopper is the Get Rid of the Republican Party Before It Gets Rid of Us Act.