In Australia, you'd just need to include the long title. From the Australian drafting procedures (instructions given to Federal lawyers who make sure the politicians haven't made a mess of the legislation):
"the drafting of the long title is very important as the long title must encompass all the matters included in the Bill. If there are matters that are not covered by the long title, the Bill may need to be withdrawn from Parliament and then reintroduced. "
A title like "Patriot Act" would be thrown out.
You could appoint drafters to do it, but I guess Americans trust politicians more than the government.
If you want politicians to do it, you could give the "Ayes" 50 words, and the "Nays" 40 words. If they really can't agree on words, you could give every member a word, and if they get together with 6 other people they agree with they can put in a seven word sentence (for or against the bill). If a majority are in favor of a bill, and the minority against it can't think of anything really wrong with it, then it's either a good bill or you need either a new democratic system or a tin-foil hat.
"Patriot Act" is the so-called "popular" title. The "official title" is "To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes."
If I had to guess, "and for other purposes" is basically a catch-all for anything not explicitly named.
It's still nothing like what an Australian law could be called. In Australia, it would be something like "Amendments to Homeland Security Act". Australia doesn't have the emotive (and misleading) titles the US does, because our legislative framework deters it.
Sounds quite reasonable to me. I do wish we had something in US law, as well. Every time a politician introduces a bill with a loaded name, it makes me want to retch.
"the drafting of the long title is very important as the long title must encompass all the matters included in the Bill. If there are matters that are not covered by the long title, the Bill may need to be withdrawn from Parliament and then reintroduced. "
A title like "Patriot Act" would be thrown out.
You could appoint drafters to do it, but I guess Americans trust politicians more than the government.
If you want politicians to do it, you could give the "Ayes" 50 words, and the "Nays" 40 words. If they really can't agree on words, you could give every member a word, and if they get together with 6 other people they agree with they can put in a seven word sentence (for or against the bill). If a majority are in favor of a bill, and the minority against it can't think of anything really wrong with it, then it's either a good bill or you need either a new democratic system or a tin-foil hat.