The link below is to an Omaha World Herald story about the Nebraska Unicameral (that's right one house in the legislative branch) ending its session three days early after basically getting its job done for the session. This includes passing a balanced budget. (Oh, wait, the Nebraska budget HAS to be balanced, it is required in the State Constitution.) If things start looking bad midway through the year, the unicameral starts cutting. These lawmakers aren't perfect, nor is Nebraska, but fiscal responsibility is possible. http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_...

Congress and the President CLAIM they get where the people are coming from. They think they can write legislation that fits for everyone. We, writing here, don't even get it.

The federal government cannot legislate and control everything in a country that is geographically this large. The country is simply to diverse to formulate sensible laws that apply appropriately to all parts of the country when we are talkinig about certain issues. (Education and housing and labor and trade and roads etc.) Those things and others are better left up to the states. Does congress really understand Maine? Hawaii? Alaska? Do they understand the people who live in the Appalacians? The Bayou? The back country of Montana? The desert? The Keys?

Look how diverse individual States are: California...coast, islands, mountains, desert, southern, northern, farms, wine country, tourism, industry, international trade route, crime, debt, immigrant population,etc. How can the federal gov't take all of this into account as well as Utah, the boundry waters of Minnesota, and the badlands of North Dakota?

Ultimately, there should be more local control of laws.

Line item veto. If congress wants an earmark so bad they can get it with two-thirds.

All amendments should have the author's and submitter's name atttached and part of the permenant public record. There should be accountability for legislation and spending.

If a bill isn't read entirely in committee (giving others time to read it) then it should be read aloud on the floor before it can be voted on.