The Franking Sign Monster
Democrats are a little touchy about how GOP congressmen are describing ObamaCare to their constituents.
Franking is a venerable term, largely fallen into disuse among modern speakers outside the postal service. It may be better known to readers of Victorian romance novellas, such as those by Barbara McMahon or Christina Dodd.
In them, a genteel husband -– usually a Member of Parliament -– is seen penning a love note to his chère-amie, sealing it up and scrawling his signature across the corner of the envelope. (Contemporary readers are left to their own devices in determining if he is heading out to hike the Appalachian Trail after dropping it off.)
The point of the exercise was to note that the legislator’s missive to his paramour would then be delivered without his having to pay the appropriate postal tax. The franking privilege, as it came to be known, was claimed by the British in the House of Commons, and later adopted by the United States Congress. To prevent theft and abuse of taxpayer funds by limiting the volume and scope of such free mailings, a committee known as the Franking Commission was established in 1991. Being essentially a group of glorified school hall monitors charged with making sure nobody is stealing stamps, it wasn’t viewed as one of the juicy, exciting posts in the House which were likely to fast-track you to a spot on Meet the Press.
It is therefore unsurprising that this particular panel was infrequently found in the news. That changed, however, on July 23, when some GOP congressmen were blocked from sending out to their constituents a flow chart depicting the complex, Byzantine structure of the Democrats’ proposed health care system. It was apparently deemed to be too partisan, by virtue of making the system appear, well… complex and Byzantine.
This was followed in short order by another instance, when Republican Congressman John Carter of Texas was informed that he could not record the introduction to a conference call because of unacceptable language contained in the message. The offending phrase, in this case, was: “House Democrats unveiled a government run health care plan.” He was informed by the esteemed Franking Commission that he could still communicate with the voters of his district, provided he changed the wording to: “The House majority unveiled a public option health care plan.”
Leaving aside for a moment the disturbing implications, the issue at the center of this dispute is a congressional rule which bars franked mail from being “partisan, politicized, or personalized.” This is, as they say, one of those ideas that sounds great on paper but quickly becomes problematic in practice and delivery. Since these rules were last revised in 1997, the bar for judgments regarding the “partisan” nature of franked communications between House members and their constituents has been set quite low out of necessity. Such a system unfortunately relies on the now extinct beast known as common sense, and bears a strong resemblance to Justice Potter Stewart’s 1964 Supreme Court protestations on pornography. “I know it when I see it.”
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Jazz Shaw is a heretical, Northeastern former RINO and regular columnist at The Moderate Voice. He can be reached at jazzshaw@gmail.com.
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31 Comments
1. Bob:The way to curb this ridiculous situation is to abolish the speech police (Franking Commission) and limit Franking to allowing the Congressmen and Congresswomen to send out free mail only if it is signed in their own personal handwriting. That would benefit taxpayers of all political stripes.
Jul 28, 2009 - 3:43 am 2. eon:The Democratic leadership objects to the health-care reform bill, which mandates government control of health-care in both the public and private sectors, being described as a… “government run health-care system.”
News flash; “run” is a synonym for “control”, according to my Roget’s Thesaurus.
My impression is that once more, the “progressives” want absolute power without having to openly admit that that is precisely what they are after. Mainly so that when the inevitable happens, and their plans go south with a vengeance, they can absolve themselves of all blame for the train wreck.
My opinion is that if it walks, swims, eats, and quacks like a duck… it probably isn’t a platypus.
clear ether
eon
Jul 28, 2009 - 3:48 am 3. LeighB:No harm done–I don’t need to receive the information from Republicans to know that ObamaCare is garbage. And hopefully DOA.
Jul 28, 2009 - 4:00 am 4. sodacrackers:Frankly, I thinking “franking” is ridiculous. There is one committee that could be done away with immediately. Our “elite” senators and representatives can pay for their mail the same way the rest of us do. Perhaps they could hold a bake sale.
Jul 28, 2009 - 4:44 am 5. kazooskibum:The Democrat Party is a criminal enterprise.
Jul 28, 2009 - 5:14 am 6. prospero:A criminal enterprise and a cult besides
Jul 28, 2009 - 5:34 am 7. homero:the “we won” crowd is like a bunch of children. unfortunately they have the power of the government of the USA !
quite unbelieveable.
O-bum-A is not the only marxist in this group.
those who are not marxist and do not like the way the government and the culture are moving are a little behind the curve. this crowd has a head start and don’t play by the rules.
the thing is they have been working for their agenda for decades. to turn it around the educational system from grade school through university need to be revamped.
…the Prof. Gates is an example of what teaches university with tenure. children are and continue to be indoctrinated in socialism.
these socialists presently control most of “public life” through none elected employees.
it is a difficult thing to stop and as the government consolidates more power with each passing year it is just that much harder to return to the place it would be according to the constitution.
OT …I notice more trolls during the week …does that mean they are paid mon. to fri. ? do they receive assignments?
Jul 28, 2009 - 5:39 am 8. "progressive"watch:This just one more incidence of the progressive-left’s,especially the Obami’s attempt to silence all opposition and criticism. They believe in a full-time assault upon the opposition and shutting them up is one way of attacking. Censering the internet,silencing talk radio,hate crimes legislation are some of their goals.
Jul 28, 2009 - 6:06 am 9. Saltherring:My congressman, years ago, used to be a relatively conservative, national defense-minded Dimocrat, (oxymoron?) but now he’s swung himself to the extreme left with the rest of the pack. After 30+ years in D.C., why does he think he needs to run with the Pelosi herd? It’s gotten to where he no longer responds to my e-mails, which are polite and respectful. What makes these people lose their minds after 30 years? Hopefully he will lose his constituency and his seat also.
Jul 28, 2009 - 6:30 am 10. Karin:Just another example of the thuggery in DC right now. At any rate, that chart was freely flowing around the intertubz, and I think we all saw the monstrosity. However, it is the principle of the thing.
Jul 28, 2009 - 7:26 am 11. Rob:I am ashamed to be a registered Democrat. I can only take comfort in knowing that I did not vote for any of these clowns.
Jul 28, 2009 - 7:51 am 12. Paul in MI:There’s no way to separate political communication from partisan speech. Politicians are partisan, that’s how our system works. Trying to draw a line between informing your constituents and influencing them with political speech is doomed to failure. Lets get rid of the franking privilege, politicians can send email and update their web pages basically for free and they can handle sending mail the same way they handle phone calls: it comes out of their budget.
Jul 28, 2009 - 8:27 am 13. Paul -Indiana:Is anyone still proud that they voted for Obama?
Jul 28, 2009 - 8:30 am 14. Michael:It always interests me that the liberals call right wing polititians and voters as fanatics or fascists. Yet it is the left wing that so regularly attempts to limit free speech to only what they believe. Calling everything else hate speech. Dictatorship is always so close to the surface if thinly veiled.
Jul 28, 2009 - 8:45 am 15. Robohobo:Why cannot you just say that the Statist Democrats have stiffled free speech again? Oh, I forgot, you are a ‘moderate’ which means you have no principles of your own or are not sure what they are yet or….
Equivocation and not calling a spade a shovel like you do Jazz, will be the end of the Republic.
I want the time I spent reading your drivel back.
Jul 28, 2009 - 9:06 am 16. Sandra:I have a friend that always asks one question in situations like this. If you defy the left, what’s the punishment? It’s at that moment the left struggles, because they want to tell you they will hurt you if you don’t bend to their will. They are talkin about a dictatorship about any situation where they limit that you can feel or think or say.
Jul 28, 2009 - 9:11 am 17. rocketeer:Republican’s had better remember this kind of crud when they’re back in power. They had better tell the freaking democrats to sit down and shut up, because that’s what they’re getting from these fascists.
I’m really getting sick of these people.
Jul 28, 2009 - 10:16 am 18. blotto:And does this come as a surprise to anyone?? The Dems/statists/Marxists have been trying to silence free speech for years with PC and speech codes. This is just one more example of their attitude toward America and their zeal for totalitarianism.
But we still have RINOs like Graham who voted for Sotomayor; McLame who holds hands with the Left; in fighting between McConnel and Bunning and between the elite RINOs and conservatives that take their eye off the Left; and the further aggrandizement of power to the left that only Beck, Malkin, Coulter and a few others seem to see.
We’ve had the firing of IG Walpin, and the head of OMB in a meeting with the Dear Leader and the MSM is silent. We have czars over seeing our private industry.
This is just the start of the Dear Leaders complete take over of our nation. And I bet 53% of the public still thinks he is “next to God.”
Jul 28, 2009 - 10:32 am 19. WestWright:Robohobo, you took the words out of my mind regarding Jazz the PINO. His weak response to the facism displayed by this franking crap says a lot about how the moderate progressive is actually of no value in this battle.
Jul 28, 2009 - 10:33 am 20. jvon:I am missing the point where someone explains why people in Congress should be able to send mail for free.
Sure, they need to send mail. Yes, it’s a legitimate expense of the office. So they get a budget for it, like everything else. Are they going to get free cars now that we own car companies? That’s ridiculous.
Jul 28, 2009 - 10:34 am 21. anton:7. homero:
So right you are! They often remind me Jack’s Tribe from Lord of the Flies.
Jul 28, 2009 - 10:46 am 22. Blarty Blarckleblart:OT …I notice more trolls during the week …does that mean they are paid mon. to fri. ? do they receive assignments?
That’s right. Office hours at Overlord Soros’ Troll Mill are 8-5, Monday through Friday. Assignments are distributed Monday mornings by Overlord Soros himself.
Weekend and after-hours work is encouraged, and we receive time-and-a-half in SorosBux (gold coins of unknown origin with swastikas on them).
We get an hour for brunch between 11-2, when we are provided free Snowflake Baby Benedict at the Soros Cafeteria.
Medical care is free. All medicines are ripped from the pleading hands of elderly white Christians from the heartland, or, if they are not available, stolen from Our Brave Soldiers while they are busy Defending Our Freedoms.
It’s a pretty sweet gig if you can get it.
Jul 28, 2009 - 11:28 am 23. karlinsync:I dare say there is NO one in Congress that can speak in plain language. If I have troble sleeping I just play a re-run of one of Obama’s structured Town Hall meetings. Puts me to sleep immediately. Perhaps the Republican diagram provided to much common sense and the Dems. felt this is not how to reach the American people.
Jul 28, 2009 - 12:01 pm 24. Gary Ogletree:Could The One Who Won be getting desperate? Can’t handle a little flow chart? Scardycats! What will the Dems do when darling Sarah shows up? I trust they are stocking up on Zanex, etc. to get thru her CA appearance next week. Good one, Jazz.
Jul 28, 2009 - 12:58 pm 25. Mutnodjmet:Franking Committee members as:
Democrats:
Susan Davis, Chair (CA-53): Phone: (202) 225-2040 Fax: (202) 225-2948
Brad Sherman (CA-27): Phone: (202) 225-5911 FAX: (202) 225-5879; webmail link: http://www.house.gov/sherman/contact/
Donna Edwards (MD-04): phone = 202-225-8699 fax = 202-225-8714
Republicans:
Dan Lundgren, Ranking (CA-03) Phone: (202) 225-5716 Fax: (202) 226-1298
Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) Phone: 202-225-2915
Fax: 202-225-2908
Dr. Tom Price (GA-06) phone: 202-225-4501 fax: 202-225-4656
Fax a .DOC, .DOCX, or .PDF file free from your computer:
http://faxzero.com/
Jul 28, 2009 - 3:12 pm 26. steveg:http://www.gotfreefax.com/
http://www.myfax.com/free/
There would not be a Democrat party without the mainstream media propping it up.
Jul 28, 2009 - 3:33 pm 27. Sebastian Shaw:The truth hurts. However, the Democrats attempt to silence the Republicans is repugnant & should be exposed for the Marxists they are. The Republicans have to play hard ball with the Democrats to realize they are out for blood. The Republicans have to quit being so squishy, squeamish, & downright idiots for not taking on the Democrat bullies in the schoolyard.
Jul 28, 2009 - 4:02 pm 28. Michael:Thanks Blarty, that explains a lot.
Jul 29, 2009 - 10:02 am 29. Les:Franking just adds to these people’s self annoited superiority complex. Frankly, franking needs to be folded.
Jul 29, 2009 - 12:29 pm 30. qrstuv:Our congressman, a Democrat, sent out franked mailers which included the phrase “the invasion and occupation of Iraq.” Being an opponent of the war myself, I concurred with the description…”
What I am struck by here is the sequence. This sounds very much like your opposition to the war preceded any description of it. It sounds like “the invasion and occupation of Iraq” is a conclusion that came from your emotional reaction to the war.
************
Jul 30, 2009 - 5:27 pm 31. Greg Scott:More on topic, these free mailings are stupid, precisely because they’re policed this way. An avoidable unfair advantage goes to the party in power.
Franking ought to allow a specific number of mailings a year, with no supervision of content. To regulate content is one of the most egregious violations of the right of free speech imaginable. Political speech is/should be the most highly protected form of speech possible.
This should be challenged in the supreme court, along with the McCain Feingold act. This is a far more serious issue that the attempt to silence talk radio, which is bad enough.
Liberals support their free speech rights, not yours.
Sep 19, 2009 - 1:38 am