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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 11:26 AM
Original message
How To Fix Congress
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

A friend sent this along to me. I can't think of a reason to disagree.

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 rating of any entity in Government. Now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us.

We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American heroes.


**********************************
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

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 their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

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

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

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.

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.


I have been an advocate for term limits for a long time. Vote out all the incumbents, set term limits and let's start over again.

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yourout Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 11:31 AM
Response to Original message
1. I got this from a Republican I know also.
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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 01:40 AM
Response to Reply #1
6. Well bless your heart...
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ejpoeta Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 11:34 AM
Response to Original message
2. i can't argue with that either. but congress has a circular system....
they decide who we get to vote for and those we vote for will play ball. congress makes the rules and they aren't going to do anything to give themselves any less then they get now.

oh, i think it should happen. i would also add campaign finance in this.... each candidate gets a set amount, the same amount and they use the public airwaves to make their case. and they are then subject to questions as well. if they have the same amount then it hsould be about the issues and less chance of corporate influence.
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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 01:42 AM
Response to Reply #2
7. I agree 100% about the campaign finance... n/t
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Bitwit1234 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 11:36 AM
Response to Original message
3. Never ever happen they will never limit their terms
And why you are at it. I think that they federal government should pay into social security and/or buy their own retirement plans. That way there would be more money going into the social security system. Federal employees have to pay for their health insurance like everyone else how come congress doesn't. And I will bet that they don't pass that $250pay for seniors who will not have gotten a raise in 2 years. But congress has.
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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 01:44 AM
Response to Reply #3
8. See numbers 3 & 4... n/t
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BeFree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 11:37 AM
Response to Original message
4. Cool
Once that is done, we make it so that there is one representative for every 30,000 citizens.

Like GW suggested. The 1st GW.
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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 02:03 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. One representative for every 30,000 citizens??
No fucking way! Why would we want to quadruple government payroll spending? Not to mention the boondoggle it would cause in DC. They would NEVER get ANYTHING done then.
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BeFree Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 04:14 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Use technology
Just like we use this forum to communicate.

Of course we couldn't post, but they could. And we'd be able to see their discussions and decision making progress.

That way they would only meet in DC a few times a year, and people like you would have a chance to be a representative.

What we now have is a system that lacks meaningful representation. And that is our core problem. 1 rep for every 30,000 would fix that and could be done for even less $$ than is spent now. Not that the $ amount should mean a damn thing.
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DeadManInc Donating Member (844 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-15-10 12:37 PM
Response to Original message
5. We need more things than just voting for president
to go to a national vote.
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Ghost in the Machine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Oct-16-10 02:05 AM
Response to Reply #5
10. Such as??
I think that We, the People should get to vote on whether Congress deserves a pay raise or not.. what else?

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