I'm Just a Bill (Schoolhouse Rock!)
Why Hacker News recommends it
Cited as a classic, catchy explainer of the US legislative process, and half-jokingly as many people's whole civics education.
What it is
The Schoolhouse Rock! cartoon song 'I'm Just a Bill', in which a bill explains how it travels through Congress to become law.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2013 to 2024.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec adestefan · 2013-07 · on “White House Seems Afraid NSA Defunding Law Could Actually Pass Today”
One of the best School House Rocks videos ever is "I'm Just a Bill." [this video] There are two things missing: 1. Congress can override a Presidential veto with a vote a two-thirds majority in the both chambers. 2. The President can also let a Bill sit for 11 or 12 days (it's really 10, but Sundays don't count.) At that point it becomes law without the President's signature.
Cites ooterness · 2024-05 · on “The government is making it more difficult to track private aircraft travel”
A "law" has been finalized, passed by both halves of Congress, and ratified. A "bill" is an incomplete proposal at any stage of this process. There is a catchy song [1] to help everyone remember this. A bill is the same as a pull request that has not yet been merged. So the statement, "The U.S. [has] yet to pass even a basic internet-era privacy law..." is correct. In other words: The American Privacy Rights Act is just a bill, yes it's only a bill, and it's sitting there on Capitol Hill... [1] [this video]