Pale Rider hits another one over the fence

Now see, this is the sort of thing that makes me send emails to the Pale Rider begging him to come aboard. He gets credit for this post, which I blatantly lifted from Kevin Drum's most excellent (if you can stand the trolls) Political Animal blog, where we were discussing the failure of this lame-duck congress to pass the budget for FY 2007, which started on 01 October 2006.

The mintute the new congress takes their seats, I plan to hit this issue hard. (At that time a letter you all can feel free to use to contact your own congress-critter will appear on the site). I want this law enacted. Emmanuel Cleaver, you will be hearing from me regularly, and at high volume. I will bug the hell out of you until you sponsor this legislation.

There should be a law that states that if a Congress adjourns as this one does--before the completion of required spending bills--that the members are denied their pensions for one fiscal year.

That would include ALL members, not just one party. This would be an incentive to ensure that both parties work to conclude their business before adjournment. Obviously, this was a problem of the leadership in the House and I have no idea how Hastert and Boehner are not being roasted for this. It should be something that applies to all members to prevent the minority from blocking legislation as well.
Write it into law--no Congress shall adjourn at the end of its two year term without completing the spending/appropriations bills and just make a list of what those are.

If a Congress (this was the 109th, I think) adjourns without completing its required business, ALL members of that body who served in the last 90 days of that Congress have their pension and health care benefits withheld for one fiscal year after they retire.

Write it down, sponsor it, and make it a new reform.

I want this law. Everyone should want this law.