LORENZO, LINCOLN, ADAM, MADISON, REAGAN, SAM, and CHASE all enter the chamber.
MADISON
So Reagan, Chase, and somehow Lorenzo have all been on bills that passed. Who’s up next?
LORENZO
No rule that says I can’t pass a second bill.
MADISON
That would involve you writing another bill.
LORENZO
I could also just contribute something a little here and there to one of your good ideas. Come on, give me ideas.
MADISON
I’m more focused on getting something passed myself.
LORENZO
They seem to like it when you make legislation related to furniture.
SAM
Lorenzo, we get it, you got a bill passed about chairs.
CHASE
I was on that bill! The Affordable Chair Act!
LORENZO
Otherwise known as LorenzoChair.
CHASE
You’re the only one who refers to it as that.
ADAM
Can we get back on topic now? Madison was about to tell us all what her idea was.
Everyone looks at MADISON, who looks confused.
MADISON
My—my idea?
LINCOLN
You do have one, right?
MADISON
Uh—yeah. Yeah, I have an idea.
REAGAN
Want to say it, then?
MADISON
Nah, that’s okay.
LORENZO
If you don’t have any ideas, I could always give you some.
MADISON franticly looks around the chamber, hoping to avoid having to take an idea from LORENZO.
MADISON
Lights!
REAGAN
Huh?
MADISON
I’ll write something about lights.
ADAM
Madison, I saw you just looking at the lights from the ceiling. You just came up with that now, didn’t you?
MADISON
What?! No!
ADAM gives MADISON a blank stare.
MADISON
Fine. But I need to write something.
CHASE
I have a title idea, and I’m gonna tell you right now—
MADISON
No thanks. I kind of want this to be a bill I propose alone.
CHASE
Fair enough.
MADISON
I’m guessing you were gonna say something like Bill Of Lights so I’ll just name it that.
MADISON turns her attention away from the group and writes her bill, which imposes a 10% tax on the lights in the chamber. When it is time, MADISON introduces the bill to the floor and opens it up for debate.
CHASE
This is a disgusting bill that needs to be shut down.
MADISON gasps in shock that one of the group members would openly vouch for the bill to fail.
LINCOLN
I like the bill. I think taxing the lights would make us preserve energy. There’s all that talk about saving energy, after all.
REAGAN
I’m with Chase here, awful bill.
SAM
Chase, I like you and all, but you did not provide any significant reason as to why you want the bill to fail. This is a great bill written by my friend, Madison.
Another representative rises to make an argument.
REPRESENTATIVE
This seems like petty arguing over there. Obviously there should not be a tax on the lights. The freshman representative does not know what she is talking about at all.
LORENZO (to ADAM but into the microphone)
Who’s that lady who just talked?
ADAM (whispering)
That’s another representative and everyone heard you.
REPRESENTATIVE
Maybe that gentleman should go back to sitting on a baseball bench.
LORENZO
Who are you calling a gentleman?!
SPEAKER
That’s enough, everyone. Let’s bring this bill to a vote before things get too out of hand.
Everyone votes on the bill. It fails, 49-51. A huge argument erupts.
LINCOLN
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THIS BILL COULD FAIL!
MADISON
THIS WAS A GREAT BILL, COME ON EVERYONE!
REPRESENTATIVE
MAYBE TRY WRITING SOMETHING DECENT NEXT TIME.
Other representatives begin to chime in loudly, with arguments for and against the bill even after voting has been completed.
SPEAKER
ENOUGH!!!!!!!!
Everyone goes silent.
SPEAKER
If you all don’t mind, I have a sandwich to eat. I’m leaving. Session’s over. Everyone out.
All representatives silently leave the building. MADISON, LINCOLN, and SAM linger outside the building.
LINCOLN
Sorry about everything that went down in there.
MADISON
It’s not your fault.
SAM
That should’ve been passed.
MADISON
I’m just mad that some of my own friends would publicly go against me like that.
SAM
I doubt it’s personal. Plus, it’s just Chase and Reagan. Chase is probably just mad you didn’t let him contribute, and Reagan seems to want to be one of the only people to pass a bill.
MADISON
What about Adam and Lorenzo? They were silent, should I take that as lack of support?
LINCOLN
Eh. Adam had the chance to chime in against the bill if he wanted. He probably didn’t care or wanted to stay out of the fight. Lorenzo is Lorenzo. He might not have been listening. Or maybe he was? There’s really just no way to know.
MADISON
Alright, I’ll see you guys next time. Hopefully that one goes better.