Received this from a friend and thought it appropriate to post here:

 

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, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

 

If you agree with the following, please forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on your address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. 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.No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressperson 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. It may not be used for any other purpose.

 

3. Congress can purchase 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.

 

7. All contracts with past and present Congresspersons are void effective 1/1/12.

 

The American people did not make these contracts with Congress. Congress 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 to fix Congress!

I agree every time I see this (28th Amendment I think?). But it will never pass.......why you ask, becasue how do you think is going to be doing the voting.....Congress. If only we the people has someone in a high place to help back this change???

Item 3. Congress pay for their own retirement? Federal Employee Retiremetn System (FERS) that replaces Civil Service Retirerment System (CSRS) pretty well establishes a pay as you go retirement program for Federal Employees, including Congress. There are still residual retirement perks for Elected officials that need tweaking.

Do Anericans really purchase their own retirement system? Maybe they put some money in the pot to purchase annutity or a cash flow in retirement, but I don't see much in the way of long range planning. I odn't see much participation in forming company policy. Such as education to compete in a global market. The United States has become a service economy. I think more emphasis is needed on agriculture and manufacturing. Some, maybe much, of the retirement money goes to overseas investmetns. Why? Greater return.

California has several government retirement systems, but I don't see a consistent policy. Compare Wisconsin's Employee Trust Fund and an attempt to merge the retirement systems into a more professional group with goals like local investment with California's systems.

Put all your eggs in one basket? I guess you really need to watch that basket if you do. But I really don't see anyone watching any of the many little baskets.

Item 5, Congress to lose their health care system and participate in the same health care system as the American poeple. Looking through the other end of the telescope, I think American people should have the same health care system as Congress.

Is the Congressional Health Care System cost effictive? I think it is. More prevention. Earlier detection of problems. Earlier intervention. Identified method of paying for health care. Emphasis on staying healthy, not treating sickness.

Item 2. Trust finds should return to separate accountability. Do not merge dedicated taxes with general revenue. Even for reporting purposes. Highway trust fund, Health programs, Retirement programs. Divorce "special district" type programs from "discretionalry" government expenditures.

Discretionary spending becomes much more visible and controllable. Earmarks? Not with "special district" money.

Item 6. Congress to abide with all laws imposed on the American people? There are immunity laws which protect Congress Critters in their travel. A good thing, but easily abused. Such as back doot perks on tax breaks and insider information and travel reimbursement by lobbyists.

How did the Congress Critter get to Washington? Other than the obvious answer of by plane, car or train. They were sent to Washington by voters. Voters guided more by emotion and ad hominum attacks rather than satisfying a logical "what's in it for me" question. I guess the WIIFM is entertainment. Since bull fighting and dog fighting are illegal, that leaves only politics as a blood sport.

Several Congress Critters from Califoenia win consistently on the paltform of "government is bad, government is evil, send me to Congress and I will prove it." At the other end of the spectrum are Critters who promise to cure baldness and kill crabgrass. They get elected and spent their terms explaining their valiant efforts to solve problems best left to barbers and lawn care spectialists.

"Congessional reform"? How about some voter education. What do you expect from your elected representation? All the way from special district or school board on up to the President.

A politician's job is to get elected. Once elected the job is to get re elected. Incumbents win. Even after they have died. Even after they stop representing the people that sent them to Washington. Even after they concentrate on lining their pockets at the expense of those that sent them to Congress.

Term limits? If you find someone interested enough in serving the public, keep a close eye on them. Either find out what crime they are committing, or re elect them to keep them in the public eye.

With term limits, the Critter will spend two years finding the rest room, two years finding a parking space and the last two years establishing a special district for their "retirement" once they leave office.


That leaves corporate memory in the care of staff and lobbyists. The continuity of government is in the hands of people who are not even remotely under the will of the people being served.

Keep them in office, or put them in jail, or the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts to ensure adult supervision.

If you keep them in office, keep them on their toes by reminding them why they were sent to office and who put them in office.