Posted by Orin Kerr:
Is the "Stimulus Bill" the Patriot Act of the Obama Administration?:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_02_08-2009_02_14.shtml#1234550664
It's October, 2001, and a new President has declared a crisis that
demands immediate action. The old policies of the past have failed, he
announces, and it is time for far-reaching action that will expand the
government's power to combat the threats against it. Time is of the
essence, he declares: We must act now.
The opposing party tries to stop the President's plan. They complain
that the President and his minions in Congress are acting too fast and
going too far. Sure, some kind of change is needed. But the President
and his allies are going too far, they complain, passing a "wish list"
to capitalize on the public's fear of the crisis continuing.
Even worse, no one seems to know exactly what is in the massive
bill. Senators and Representatives in the minority party complain that
they never even had time read it! The bill is hundreds of pages long,
and it was impossible for anyone to read all that legislation in time
for the vote.
The President is dismissive about their complaints, however. The
opponents are stuck in the old discredited way of thinking: Change is
needed, and quickly. The bill quickly passes, and it becomes known as
the USA Patriot Act.
Now fast forward. It's February 2009, and a new President has
declared a crisis that demands immediate action. The old policies of
the past have failed, he announces, and it is time for far-reaching
action that will expand the government's power to combat the threats
against it. Time is of the essence, he declares: We must act now.
The opposing party tries to stop the President's plan. They complain
that the President and his minions in Congress are acting too fast and
going too far. Sure, some kind of change is needed. But the President
and his allies are going too far, they complain, passing a "wish list"
to capitalize on the public's fear of the crisis continuing.
Even worse, no one seems to know exactly what is in the massive
bill. Senators and Representatives in the minority party complain that
they never even had time to read it! The bill is hundreds of pages
long, and it was impossible for anyone to read all that legislation in
time for the vote.
The President is dismissive about their complaints, however. The
opponents are stuck in the old discredited way of thinking: Change is
needed, and quickly. The bill quickly passes, and it becomes known as
the American Recovery and Reinmvestment Act -- AKA the "stimulus
bill."
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