[Mathias_Ice]

Originally posted by Thermodyne:
Mathias:

In the US congress writes federal law. If it violated the constitution the courts would be
expected to vacate the law. Usually they do.

I suppose I should clarify: I am a constructionist. I believe the Founding Fathers had an unbelievable amount of wisdom they put into our country's Constitution. They were very adamant about restricting the power of the Federal government. Sure Congress passes laws, for the most part they pass laws to keep thier asses in Congress, by appeasing what ever group they think will get them the most votes come election time. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for a railroad company (AMTRAK) that for the most part only benefits people in a handful of East coast states. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for an educational system that is graduating kids that can't read or write, then sending them to college, many times on government grants, so they can take remedial courses just so they can get up to a level where they can take the regular college courses. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for a system to keep telemarketers from calling me. I pay for an unlisted number and caller ID for the main reason of keeping those calls to a minimum. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for ad infinitum ad nauseum . The Federal government has become a nightmare of bloated bueracracy and all three branches have ignored the Constitution for about a hundred years. It makes me want to go on a John Brown killing spree through our nation's capitol.

/rant off

As to the federal jobs, that is a myth based on the way things used to be. Work like this will be
done by contractors. And the contractors will lower the bid each year to get the work and in
the end it will be done by contract stiffs with low wages and few benefits. Some powerful
Senator will have the data center moved to some backwater location in a backwater state. Then the construction people will get rich building a new facility so that the contractors can hire
undereducated hicks for lower wages and less benefits. And then they will decide that the
system needs to be fixed, so they will lease a new facility with new systems and the contractors
will hire more people at even lower wages. And so on and so on.

The thing will be a cash cow, but not because of federal wages. The cash drain will be pure
politics as usual

On this I will agree.

Mathias Ice

Hey, looky there, this post promoted me!

[ July 11, 2003, 04:17: Message edited by: Mathias_Ice ]