A forward from a respected member of my email address file drifted into my Inbox today. Yes, I had seen it in a form very close to its present wording (with dates changed) at least three times before, and twice I dutifully followed the request to forward it. It presents (in my opinion) a good idea which was good when I first received it about three years ago. I will copy it here, then follow it with my reply to my sender.
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, before 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.
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.
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 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. 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 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!!!!!If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.
My reply:
I am in total agreement and will gladly pass this along (as twice prior) - but it needs completion! How is this IDEA to get on any ballot where I can give my unequivocal YES vote? Just passing along good ideas among friends and email lists still leaves us nowhere. IS THERE a plan to get this IDEA to some form of ballot?
Next thing I am going to do with it is to place it in my own blog and hope to get others to comment on it.
Thx for the forward!
So - let's discuss this. I'd love to know whether you agree or disagree, but it would be very helpful also to get input on the question of how to get it onto any ballot. Obviously, if you disagree with the concept, your interest in seeing it reach a ballot would be nil. However, if you're in the spirit of the Neutral Zone and you happen to know the mechanics of directing an idea through channels to find its way to the big voting world, you're welcome to advise us all! It has probably the proverbial "snowball's chance in hell" anyway.
We all probably agree that in today's political climate, if we are concerned about our national predicament(s) we all have the perfect right - even duty to a degree - to become mini politicians. As you have possibly guessed, I personally am an Independent in my political outlook. No single party, major or fledgling, has yet satisfied my total vision for our country. Also my vision is far from infallible and not set in stone anyway; it alters and grows. Therefore I make some difficult compromise decisions when I enter the voting booth. I appreciate hearing many concepts and slants on old ideas of how government should work. But I do feel strongly that government SHOULD WORK, hence my agreement with the forward just posted.
Blast away! Pro or con, it matters not. Even if I find your words vile and offensive to all I hold dear, I will "...defend to the death your right" to speak your mind. And thank you for doing so.
markman
I totally agree with putting Congress in its place and keeping it there. I have hoped for a long time the things listed above could be achieved. However, the difference between the 26th amendment and the amendment ideas listed above is that it doesn't immediately and drastically hit the pocketbooks of those people who are going to have to be the ones to approve and pass the bill. The people in Congress give the impression to the rest of the population that they are royalty...they have rights and liberties the rest of us can only dream about.
ReplyDeleteSome of these guys are out-and-out crooks, but the voters keep right on voting them back into office. I have my suspicions, even, about whether or not the voting is fixed.
I think it's interesting that finally Cuba has discovered that their way of government absolutely does not work, and they are moving back more toward Capitalism. Then there's the USofA's leaders -- fully capable of seeing that Socialism and Communism doesn't work, but that's exactly where we're going in a break-neck speed like never before!!
I agree with this post. The Congress votes on rules for Americans, & they definitely should have to follow the same rules. If they did, I don't think we would be in the mess we are in now. We are truly becoming a socialist country (you have money, I want it & don't want to work for it). We are in danger of losing our status as the greatest country in the world & it is very sad.
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as voting, I think people need to know about our government, be able to answer a few questions, like 'Who is the speaker of the House?' or they can't vote! It is a privilege to vote in this beautiful country.
Years ago, I heard the schools were going the way of dumbing down our society so Communism could expand here. I laughed at the time, but now I'm not laughing. Do the schools teach civics, world & US history anymore? And what about geography & something besides 'Billy has 2 Daddies'? Is patriotism to this country taught in the schools, or is that too opinionated? If my children were still small, I wonder how I would react, when entering one of their schools to be told I could not sit in on one of their classes. (I have heard it is not allowed now, though I don't know that for sure.) And besides the schools, I think parents should teach their children about this great country, morals for the betterment of society & their responsibilies in life. It seems there are too many 'entitlement babies' nowadays. How about each of us taking care of our families & stop so many entitlements? There is a time to help someone, but when does the help become a hindrance to their growth & improvement?
Ok, I'll get off my soapbox. Thanks for listening...
This is why the soapbox was put here. Thanks for mounting it!
ReplyDelete