I'm Just a Bill

Class time is scarce this time of the semester, so I'm sharing this classic bit of Americana here. I suggest reviewing p. 363 of the Edwards textbook before watching, and then seeing how (some) of the steps are depicted in the video:

 

The writer of this particular song passed away last week and it made the news: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/arts/music/dave-frishberg-dead.html 

 The law in question strikes me as a classic piece of mid-20th-century liberal policymaking. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! But did posting signs at every railroad crossing in the country save any lives? And would it survive a commerce clause challenge with the more conservative/state's rights oriented judiciary of today? 

 It was probably chosen as a simple issue that kids could understand, along with being an example that didn't go through as many twists and turns on it's way to becoming law as a more important or complex piece of legislation. And maybe the signs did save a few lives at relatively low cost, so no harm, no foul, even if it's a somewhat paternalistic sort of law. Don't stop your car (or schoolbus) on railroad tracks. Just don't do it! 

 I might make class time for this classic SNL bit from Obama's 2nd term: