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July 19, 2005BELTWAY BLOGROLL
Former meat-cutter and now-Sen. Bob Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat, has been known to take exception to this long-ago, unflattering quote from German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck: "There are two things you don't want to see being made: sausage and legislation."
But von Bismarck's take on the legislative process may explain why popular bloggers do not dedicate as much space to legislation as to sexier subjects like war and politics. Lawmaking can be an ugly business, and only those with the strongest stomachs dare watch it closely.
Some bloggers do watch it, though, and that's why I am adding another feature to the editorial mix at Beltway Blogroll. Whenever I see particular bills mentioned in the blogosphere, I will point you to those posts. Just look for the "BillBlast" kicker.
To get the coverage started, here are links to recent blog postings about bills that would:
-- Extend and broaden The USA PATRIOT Act (addressed by both Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., at ConyersBlog and by Daily Kos. Conyers' post generated more than 100 comments.
-- Renew expiring provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
-- Address concerns about exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act.
-- Make it a federal crime to sell violent or sexually explicit videogames to minors.
-- Mandate a 10,000-year radiation standard for Yucca Mountain, a Nevada site intended as a national repository for spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
-- Make "some wonky changes" to the law on occupational safety. The National Association of Manufacturers will count lawmakers' votes on the bills as key votes.
-- And give Native Hawaiians the rights of self-government as indigenous people that American Indians now enjoy.
As always, tips about coverage that I may have missed are most welcome.
Posted by dglover at July 19, 2005 01:31 PM
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