It's time to reform congress

[kmseeker]

ubject: Congressional Reform Act of 2011

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests”.

- Patrick Henry -

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 all the 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.

[anonmouse013]

Amen

[wpsmit]

+1 kmseeker. I posted something similar to this a while ago, and if I may suggest add to your list:

term limits - 3 year term for pres with one reelection; 5 year limits on congressmen; make lobbying illegal

[gidma]

We sent this list to my reps in Washington a few months ago. We like it alot!!!! AGREE

[kmseeker]

wpsmit....I agree!

[TexasFisherman]

Exactly what my dad suggested over twenty years ago when he went on Medicare and social security. The only thing I would add would be term limits. No re-elections at any level. After one term they must come live in the mess they create. No full time or career politicians. They seem to be the ruination of our system 'cause of what they have to promise and do to get re-elected.

Go RV then the AFTER PARTY, even if it is me by myself at home with my diet Dr. Pepper!

[tommyboy]

+1 kmseeker. I posted something similar to this a while ago, and if I may suggest add to your list:

term limits - 3 year term for pres with one reelection; 5 year limits on congressmen; make lobbying illegal

And also make "earmarks or riders" illegal. Billions are spent like this every year.

But above all VOTE FOR RON PAUL.

[kmseeker]

Texas Fisherman...........oh you'll find someone to share your happiness with......you can buy them a diet Dr. Pepper......God Bless You!

Edited July 18, 2011 by kmseeker

[Heavyduty053]

ubject: Congressional Reform Act of 2011

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests”.

- Patrick Henry -

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 all the 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.

I totally agree, if we don't band together in one voice and be heard this country is heading for a revolution. It is past time to stand up, washington thinks we are like people in 3rd world countries and say we don't care anymore and we can't think for ourselves. Our govt is bigger today than in anytime in history and we are headed into communism. People better wake up, enough is enough.

[GMartin]

I'm pretty huge into politics. I wish we had this momentum in actual Washington. No one will protest and sit in the roads like they use to. There are so many things wrong with this country. This method is how and when we fight for our rights. It is very easy to fight with a letter or a chain mail. I am not bashing your methods, if anyone wants to rally congress, Washington, the white house, it has to be on foot in millions.

I have yet to see this, I have yet to be involved with this. I so badly want to, but just as you are trying in an easy method, I can't complain much about it because we are really all trying to get by with our decent paying jobs and over sized debt to manage. Plus our employers don't give a crap about us. So like I said I am not bashing, but I wish there was another way...

Maybe when this Dinar revalues, we can all promise to fight for others since we will have financial freedom. there has to be at least 1 million of us that can take 1 month sitting in the streets of washington at the white house?

I will be there.

Edited July 18, 2011 by GMartin

[TRERUMPH]

KMSEEKER you have my every backing

[EGP]

Yes, it is time to drastically reform Congress and get seriously return to our constitutional principles.

[Tiffany23]

ubject: Congressional Reform Act of 2011

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests”.

- Patrick Henry -

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 all the 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.

Good Ideas....But...most of the above are already in place....see here!

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm

Benefits Paid to Members of Congress

You may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security. Well, that's a myth.

Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.