Many of us were just sitting around today, when we realized something exciting was going on, live, on the Senate floor.
It seems that Republicans inserted an amendment into the Omnibus Spending Bill that allows Chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and their "agents" full and unfettered access to income tax returns of corporations, politicians, and private citizens.
A very heated exchange ensued on the floor of the Senate, and while it looks like the bill pass (to the dismay of many here) it was what ensued on Daily Kos that really got me excited.
Thanks to members like kd4dean and the quick promotion to the main page by DemFromCT tons of people tuned into CSPAN 2 to watch the debate unfold. And we
discussed it, at length, as it went down.
Thanks to members like Kagro X many of us not only got a lesson in parlimentary procedure, but were walked through it, in real time.
As the debate went on, we were able to identify the Senators willing to speak out, and eventually vote against this bill that strips away womans rights, privacy and overtime protection.
We watched together as Senators discussed pork barrel spending, the dangers of voting on large (and small bills) without having the time to read them, and received a terrific civics lesson from Senator Byrd about the problems of omnibus spending bills.
We learned. Alot. About the Appropriations Process.
Ideas were born about what we, as a community, can do to help.
Information was provided, and Senate offices were contacted.
A full-fledged discussion broke out on a very important topic bound to go overlooked by 99% of Americans.
Today, dKos is alive. And it is well.
Tim