General Discussion

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)

60. Legislators don't write laws.

Sat Mar 29, 2014, 12:15 PM

Mar 2014

Their staff does.

This is a silly objection. It's like saying you can't tell the taxi driver where to take you if you're not also a driver yourself.

Elected members of a parliament are supposed to make policy that represents the interests of the country's people. Lawyers are not per se better qualified to do so than anyone else. The dominance of any one profession (and thus one class) within the group of representatives within the parliament is a very bad sign.

Clearly, a random selection of citizens would be more representative, less beholden to monied interests, and likely to produce better policy.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

80 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Neil deGrasse Tyson has a great question... [View all] Playinghardball Mar 2014 OP

He also said if women want change, go change everything. "Why not?!" (see link)... WhaTHellsgoingonhere Mar 2014 #1

We had Rush Holt Kelvin Mace Mar 2014 #2

They're not doctors... RoccoR5955 Mar 2014 #26

Bill Frist, a cardiologist, long-distance diagnosing Terri Schiavo as brain-active and conscious. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2014 #31

I volunteered for Hospice in the same county at the same time she passed. marew Mar 2014 #47

He and his family... elzenmahn Mar 2014 #57

Well, it still has "doctor" in the title Kelvin Mace Mar 2014 #38

That's right, we don't want lawyers writing laws! The_Commonist Mar 2014 #3

How do the law degrees help FiveGoodMen Mar 2014 #7

Because when a new law is written out of emotion and belief ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #17

You also must know what the law you're writing is supposed to do FiveGoodMen Mar 2014 #20

Cannot argue with that, but that is why ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #22

There's a course in law school about writing legislation properly. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2014 #29

Because they're not writing a law to actually stop the... Whiskeytide Mar 2014 #43

Granted, you describe uncontrolled tea party-ism and the sad ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #46

You're right .... or at least Whiskeytide Mar 2014 #48

Which apparently doesn't happen on a regular basis. blackspade Mar 2014 #50

Reverse it demwing Mar 2014 #51

Nope. I disagree. ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #73

Which is why we have so many bidnessmen in government Fumesucker Mar 2014 #74

Hired lawyers, like hired guns demwing Mar 2014 #75

No suggested that lawyers and businessmen shouldn't be in congress, too. Gore1FL Mar 2014 #28

I assume you have a business man and rich folks exemption, they of course know all. TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #77

we don't only want lawyers legislating. we want legislatures that our diverse La Lioness Priyanka Mar 2014 #9

People are hired to write the laws. Hiring good lawyers to write the text of the laws is easy nt okaawhatever Mar 2014 #10

Lawmakers need to understand the law. JDPriestly Mar 2014 #16

Darrell Isa also has a rap sheet. That's got to count for something. ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #23

Law makers don't write, or even read, legislation they vote on. joshcryer Mar 2014 #18

You missed his point, I think The Traveler Mar 2014 #34

Ding Ding Ding! hueymahl Mar 2014 #54

Yes, Louie Gohmert and Michelle Bachman are perfect Oilwellian Mar 2014 #45

The elected officials do not need to be attorneys... CherokeeDem Mar 2014 #52

Of course. The_Commonist Mar 2014 #56

I don't think it was a dumb point... CherokeeDem Mar 2014 #62

"I just think it's kind of a dumb point for a smart person to make." Well, that's *your* opinion, Ghost in the Machine Mar 2014 #71

Legislators don't write laws. JackRiddler Mar 2014 #60

Rand Paul is an 'ophthalmologist.' So if Neil is looking for a myopic view of the universe... nt onehandle Mar 2014 #4

DUzy!!! ROFL!!!! calimary Mar 2014 #11

Where are the musicians, painters, sculptors, poets, drummers and dancers? Berlum Mar 2014 #5

Go ahead and advocate for them, too caraher Mar 2014 #8

Vaclav Havel was a playwright and a brilliant man. Manifestor_of_Light Mar 2014 #30

I'd like to see some of the people you mentioned in Congress, along with the scientists and...... LongTomH Mar 2014 #21

Several eastern euro countries had poets or artists as their PMs ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #24

Are we certain the problems were caused by the poets and artists? demwing Mar 2014 #53

You mean, they were undermined by political types? ChairmanAgnostic Mar 2014 #66

"well, Duh"? That was fucking snotty demwing Mar 2014 #70

He doesn't have a strong argument of his own Scootaloo Mar 2014 #76

perfect example of what is wrong with today's public education DrDan Mar 2014 #6

Legislators write laws. JDPriestly Mar 2014 #12

But this is why Congress is inept when dealing with science and technology related issues The Traveler Mar 2014 #36

I doubt that increasing the number of scientist in Congress would help. JDPriestly Mar 2014 #41

I'm a proud supporter of Rep. Jerry McNerney from California's 9th District NBachers Mar 2014 #13

Scientists and engineers have three problems jmowreader Mar 2014 #14

Four problems skepticscott Mar 2014 #15

I think his point is at least one party should recruit them Johonny Mar 2014 #39

Mostly Sound Points, Except. . . ProfessorGAC Mar 2014 #49

Many introverted highschool nerds learn how to come out of their shells in university. Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2014 #68

Or thinking there is a clear cut answer to everything treestar Mar 2014 #80

we used to have ... padruig Mar 2014 #19

We've had two astronauts in the Senate LongTomH Mar 2014 #25

Correction... Bill Foster (D) Illinois 14th district Glassunion Mar 2014 #32

I love NDT, however he is not accurate in this statement. Glassunion Mar 2014 #27

nice work. mopinko Mar 2014 #33

Well... Glassunion Mar 2014 #35

oh doh. i scanned it and didn't see teacher. mopinko Mar 2014 #42

He's not wrong at all, and neither are you demwing Mar 2014 #55

Where did you get the list exboyfil Mar 2014 #63

Link Glassunion Mar 2014 #69

Scientists are far too intelligent to get involved in politics. edbermac Mar 2014 #37

What engineer or scientist wants to spend his/her entire day surrounded by idiots? NutmegYankee Mar 2014 #40

Al Franken? What about Al Franken?????? madinmaryland Mar 2014 #44

He nailed it... elzenmahn Mar 2014 #58

And where are the lawyers doing engineering work? Recursion Mar 2014 #59

There's a tendency among some physicists to think that every other occupation is easy in comparison Chathamization Mar 2014 #64

How many legislators actually exboyfil Mar 2014 #65

Silly. rrneck Mar 2014 #61

Thanks for the laugh. n/t miyazaki Mar 2014 #78

Republican Broun on the House Science Committee may have been what Tyson was thinking about. DhhD Mar 2014 #67

My Congresswoman is a Registered Nurse: pro-Planned Parenthood; pro-Vets for Peace; pro-environment; Hekate Mar 2014 #72

Is he complaining about who the voters voted for? treestar Mar 2014 #79