Democrats To Hire Speed Reader For Climate Bill

Seriously. House Republicans may demand that the entire bill be read out loud before Congress, and Democrats are ready with a speed reader to comply with that request in as superficial a way as possible.
Because who cares what’s actually in the bill? They passed the “stimulus” spending spree without reading it. Why not a climate change bill too?

WASHINGTON — Democrats in the House Energy and Commerce Committee have taken a novel precaution to head off Republican efforts to slow action this week on a sweeping climate bill. They are hiring a speed reader.
Republicans on the committee have said they may force the reading of the entire 946-page bill — as well as major amendments that measure several hundred pages — all aloud. This is a procedure lawmakers have a right to invoke. Republicans are largely against the bill, which aims to cut emissions of so-called greenhouse gases by more than 80% over the next half-century but would be costly.
Republicans haven’t tried the tactic, but Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) is prepared.
A committee spokeswoman said the speed reader — a young man who was on door duty at the hearing as he awaited a call to the microphone — was hired to help staffers. After years of practice, the panel’s clerks can read at a good clip. But the speed reader is a lot faster, she said.
“Judging by the size of the amendments, I can read a page about every 34 seconds,” said the newly hired staff assistant, who declined to give his name. Based on that estimate, it would take him about nine hours.

Greek philosopher Arcesilaus once said: “Where you find the laws most numerous, there you will find also the greatest injustice.” In America, where our laws are so numerous and complex that our political leaders can’t even be bothered to read them before passing them, we have the potential for a lot of injustice.