Honjii's Harangues

If Congress truly represents us…

I received the following in an email, with a request that include it in a blog post.  I thought it was worth sharing for its well thought out ideas that would be good for our country.  However,  when I expressed my doubts, to the sender, about the lack of members of congress lining up to jump on the bandwagon he had this to say.

It’s a pipe dream. Still, there’s no harm in spreading it around. The more people that see it, the better the chances that some of them will say something to “their” politician, or will write a letter to the editor, or some damn thing. Even if it does nothing else, it educates: Most people don’t know about the special services that are available (at taxpayer expense) to legislators. The more of them that find out, the more of them that’ll be pissed, and that’s a good thing!

And who knows? Maybe someone will run on parts of it! (Probably not an incumbent, though…….)

I think we are all pretty sick of Congress’s shenanigans. Maybe if its members were brought down a peg, they might feel more like taking better care of the American people instead of worrying so much about themselves and their next election chances. I think the ideas put forth in this message about a Congressional Reform Act make a lot of sense, so I am passing it on.

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. (And that was in 1971… before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.)

Now, I’m asking each everyone to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list, and in addition, to ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in the United States will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. 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. These monies may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress purchases their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

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

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

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. No exceptions, and no immunity.

7. 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 go back to work.

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

THIS IS HOW WE FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete. You are one of my 20+. Please keep it going.