Fix Congress!

[willowtreewren]

I recently received an e-mail asking me to pass it on to at least 20 people - this might interest some of my friends both CONSERVATIVE and LIBERAL.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, befo...re cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amend...ments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. PLUS, post it on your FaceBook Status if you have a FB account. Spread the word!

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

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

2. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase its own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote itself a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise or fall by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses its current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws it imposes on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.

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, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

Thanks to those of you who read this far and agree to help!

Aleta

[willowtreewren]

Argh!

I should have done more homework! 

http://filterednews.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/fraud-congressional-reform-act-of-2011/

Aleta

[MooseMom]

Yeah, but now you know, and THAT is what is important!  The original email didn't sound right to me.

I am not sure there is anything inherently wrong with being a "career politician".  If you are truly there to represent your constituents and work toward the good of the American people as a whole, I don't mind someone spending their whole life doing that.  We don't expect our teachers and doctors to teach or practice medicine for a few short years and then move on, do we?  We want experienced people doing those jobs, so why do we not want experienced people representing us in government?  We can get rid of bad teachers; we can sue bad doctors.  We can throw out bad congresspeople, too.

I'm starting to wonder if our term limits are too short!  The day after the election in 2008, people started working on campaigns for 2012.  I don't think that is healthy for our nation.  The now constant campaigning is distracting to the country's work.  We keep being told that America is broke, but look at how much money is going to be spent on Election 2012!  Don't let anyone tell you that this country doesn't have enough money!  It's just that the few people with all of the money in the United States don't have to pay much tax on it.

That was my rant for the day!

[Jean]

Dont feel badly Aleta, I did that once myself. And, yes, it is embarrassing, but still, everyone needs to know what goes on in Congress and both the Houses and this is one way to keep people informed.

[MooseMom]

Dont feel badly Aleta, I did that once myself. And, yes, it is embarrassing, but still, everyone needs to know what goes on in Congress and both the Houses and this is one way to keep people informed.

Very true.  These days, it's increasingly difficult to discern "the truth."

[willowtreewren]

MM,

I was conflicted about the term limits even when I posted this.

I think what disturbs me the most is that I feel like many members of Congress are insulated from the "real" world.

Aleta

[MooseMom]

MM,

I was conflicted about the term limits even when I posted this.

I think what disturbs me the most is that I feel like many members of Congress are insulated from the "real" world.

Aleta

Any Congressperson who is insulated from the "real" world isn't trying hard enough.  It's not like we're living in the 1880's.  Congresspeople have access to myriad methods of travel and communication.  This is the age of high speed internet, Facebook and Twitter.  My representative is here from Washington many times a month and holds townhall meetings.  There is no excuse for not understanding your constituency in 2011.

[YLGuy]

Let them eat cake!

[MooseMom]