Congress Votes No on Pay Raise

Now that Congress has seen the errors of its ways and has rescinded the pay raise so generously offered up by the Cutler Commission, it is time to examine the phenomenon which has developed in Washington that is government by commission.

Today, whenever Congress or the White House does not want to take the heat for proposing unpopular policy, they simply appoint an “independent, blue-ribbon” commission to “study” the matter and make a “recommendation.” As we have seen in some cases, a recommendation can simply become law unless Congress votes against it.

Recently, when Congress and President Reagan wanted to close military bases around the country, they ducked the responsibility and appointed a commission. When affected communities throughout the country voiced protests, our legislative and executive branches were able to wring their hands and adroitly point toward “the commission.”

For months now, we’ve been hearing about something called the National Economic Commission. This “bipartisan” body has been charged with coming up with ways to cure our deficit ills. The scenario will be something like this: Congress won’t be able to discern anything meaningful from the lips of President Bush and the good old NEC will step in and speak for all of them. Guess what they’re recommendation’s gonna be? (See: raise taxes.)

While we’re talking reform regarding the legislative process, we should not pass on this opportunity to stop our “representatives” from abdicating the responsibility they were elected to discharge. Conferring such power of governance upon unelected, amorphous bodies such as these silly commissions makes the best case imaginable for denying these slackers the raises they’ve whined about.

DONNIE G. WALLACE

Downey