From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.perot,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Bush Campaign TV Ad
Keywords: significant words from a document used as an index to content
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:29:30 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Sep14.175933.10213@gtephx.UUCP> forda@gtephx.UUCP (Andrew Ford @ AGCS, Phoenix, Arizona) writes:
>In <lavh2bINN6cq@spim.mips.com>, mpolen@suntory.mti.sgi.com (Michael Polen):
>> StarWatcher@uiuc.edu (StarWatcher) writes:
>> |> Glenn Story) writes:
>> |> : forda@gtephx.UUCP (Andrew Ford @ AGCS, Phoenix, Arizona) writes:

>> |> : >If the thought he [Bush] was above the law,he'd have said "Piss on this
>> |> : >stupid law --- cut the whole fucking forest down!"  (IE: he puts 
>> |> : >himself above the law by ignoring it as he pleases [like most of
>> |> : >the democratic Congress does] NOT by submitting himself to the 
>> |> : >results of due process.)

>> |> : Could you give an example of the Congress putting itself above the law?
 
>> |> Um, aren't there laws in most states making it a felony to knowingly
>> |> write bad checks?
 
>> One more time, and slowly.  No one in congress wrote a bad check.  The 
>> congressional bank had an overdraft protection program, supported by
>> it's members.  You can get the same thing from your bank, although they
>> will probably charge you interest.

>BZZZZT! Wrong.  The House Bank had a policy to allow the Reps to write
>bad checks.  The HB policy was to cash checks until the Rep had overdrawn
>his account by one month's salary.  This was *not* a formal overdraft program.  
I'm a little confused.  What's the difference between a policy and a
program?  That was official "bank" policy.  They didn't call it
"overdraft protection" the way real banks do, but that's what it was.

>Certain members found that this policy could be abused in such a manner as
>to give them a permanent 1 month-salary loan without interest.  Considering
>that some of those guys have been up there for 40 years, this is a 
>patently Bad Thing.  

Why?  What difference does it make to you?  It didn't cost you anything.

>> The Congressional bank was set up just for this reason.  It allowed 
>> congressmen new to washington to draw against upcoming pay to set up
>> their washingon households.

>Anybody who can afford to get elected can afford to get set up on
>their own buck.

I'm glad you've decided this, but not *everyone* who gets elected to
Congress is wealthy, you know.  Just because Republicans want to make it
that way doesn't mean that the world is that way currently.

>> I am not saying it was not abused.  I am just saying they broke no
>> laws, spent none of our money, violated no bank rules, etc.

>They violated the spirit of the law and the bank rules (of course 
>they wrote the letter of the law so they could get away with what 
>would land you or I in jail).  And I have news for you, the interest

I still don't understand.  If they didn't break the law, then they
couldn't go to jail.  If we don't break the law, we can't go to jail.
I don't see the difference.  Violating the spirit of the law doesn't
land us in jail, either.  Furthermore, they violated no bank rules.

>on all those free loans comes right out of our pockets.

What interest?  The overdrafts were covered FROM THE ACCOUNTS OF OTHER
MEMBERS.  It came out of EACH OTHER'S POCKETS.  If *they* didn't care,
why are you complaining?

>> If you want to bash congress, use facts, not bull-shit.

>You might try to follow your own advice.

And you might learn to read.

(And again, I don't see you complaining that the White House has a gym
in it.  Or that the White House staff has multiplied over the last
decade.  Or that HUD gave millions of dollars to Al D'Amato's friends.
Or that Marlin Fitzwater, a taxpayer-paid employee, is issuing campaign
statements on behalf of Bush.)

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Orioles 1992 World Series Champions
niepornt@phoenix.    | Mike Mussina 1992 AL Cy Young Winner
   princeton.edu     | Brady Anderson 1992 AL MVP
Vote Clinton/Gore '92.   Four more months!