A friend sent this e-mail along to me. I read it thoroughly and I can't think of a reason to disagree with it.
I am sending this to my e-mail list and that includes conservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we disagree on a number of issues, I count all of you as friends. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2010." It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
I know many of you will say, "this is impossible." Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government, now is the time when Americans can join together to reform Congress - the entity that "represents" us.
We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the U.S. Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the U.S. House. These people will become American hero's.
Thanks,
A Fellow American
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Congressional Reform Act of 2010
1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
A. Two Six year Senate terms
B. Six Two year House terms
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
2. No Tenure / No Pension:
A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately.
All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/2011.
The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
If we think about it, it's not right that the lawmakers in Washington place themselves above everybody else. They make laws without knowing the effect those laws have on people since they don't apply to them.
They decide on Social Security and they don't participate in it.
They decide on health care and they don't participate in it.
They decide on the course of economy/inflation but it doesn't effect them.
All members of congress have their separate health plans, retirement plans and by voting themselves their own raises they are above everybody else.
The reality that some members serve in Congress practically forever is not serving the public. A term limit for both Houses should be instituted. Anybody serving more than about 12 years is not useful anymore. They get too sure of themselves, they lose their sensitivity towards their electorate and they learn all the loopholes of the system.
Most members of Congress use their position as a jumping off point towards a lucrative private sector position where money can be made without much restriction.
They use their contacts to get the job then they use their contacts in the government to advance the interest of their employer.
Why is this better than the system in the communist countries. Over there the members of the parliament were elected in a quasi "free" election. They also thought themselves above the law, they also lived a charmed life and they also believed that they couldn't be touched by the ordinary people.
The only difference that there the same people remained in place seemingly forever while here every two or six years there is a change. But the newcomers here are fast learners because nothing seems to change.
The trouble is that Washington is bad but the lower legislatures, that means the states are even worse. New York State Legislature in Albany are all useless money hungry, carpetbaggers.
If Madoff got 150 years the Albany Legislature should get ten times that much. They steal from the people, they cheat and lye. And very few get caught at the end.
That is why I don't want to be a politician. I am not smart enough to lye and cheat and not get caught.
Oh, I don't want to be a golfer either!
The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.
***********************************
If we think about it, it's not right that the lawmakers in Washington place themselves above everybody else. They make laws without knowing the effect those laws have on people since they don't apply to them.
They decide on Social Security and they don't participate in it.
They decide on health care and they don't participate in it.
They decide on the course of economy/inflation but it doesn't effect them.
All members of congress have their separate health plans, retirement plans and by voting themselves their own raises they are above everybody else.
The reality that some members serve in Congress practically forever is not serving the public. A term limit for both Houses should be instituted. Anybody serving more than about 12 years is not useful anymore. They get too sure of themselves, they lose their sensitivity towards their electorate and they learn all the loopholes of the system.
Most members of Congress use their position as a jumping off point towards a lucrative private sector position where money can be made without much restriction.
They use their contacts to get the job then they use their contacts in the government to advance the interest of their employer.
Why is this better than the system in the communist countries. Over there the members of the parliament were elected in a quasi "free" election. They also thought themselves above the law, they also lived a charmed life and they also believed that they couldn't be touched by the ordinary people.
The only difference that there the same people remained in place seemingly forever while here every two or six years there is a change. But the newcomers here are fast learners because nothing seems to change.
The trouble is that Washington is bad but the lower legislatures, that means the states are even worse. New York State Legislature in Albany are all useless money hungry, carpetbaggers.
If Madoff got 150 years the Albany Legislature should get ten times that much. They steal from the people, they cheat and lye. And very few get caught at the end.
That is why I don't want to be a politician. I am not smart enough to lye and cheat and not get caught.
Oh, I don't want to be a golfer either!
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