Congressional Reform

[rbroyles]

I know this has been around for a time, but not sure if it has been posted here. In any case it makes damn good sense.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! A friend sent this along to me. I can't think of a reason to disagree.

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 moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.

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 in 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.

[BigPapaVol]

I'm in. This is what tea party types should be focused upon.

I'm not a grassroots movement sort of guy, but I'd like to start this one.
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[paul1454]

I'm all for this. The only thing I would change would be the congressional pay increases. I would make it the lower of the change in CPI or GDP. Over times of high inflation, congressional pay could be left far behind the market leading to qualified candidates not even considering office.

[orangeblooded2]

Add a Draft system of serving officals that equates to the Draft system for service men and do away with Special Interest Money. And something might get done.

[MG1968]

I like the list, but the only thing I would add is a repeal of the 17th Amendment.

[lumberjack4]

I wouldn't mind seeing something like this.

[g8terh8ter_eric]

Limit it to 6 years, mainly because 12 allows them to have enough time to screw with things on a more long term basis.

[lawgator1]

The only problem with term limits is that you tend to shift power then to the staffers, who have all the insitutional memory. Having said that, something along the lines of what you suggest is probably worth considering.

And having said that, do not overestimate the effects of what you propose. The amount of money we spend on this is infinitesimal compared to the other financial burdens we have. And, to some degree you will eliminate the citizen legislator/representative because only the wealthiest will give up a career to serve for 12 years and then come out and be that much further behind than they would have been had they not served.

Not that the system does not currently draft primarily wealthy people.

[Oldvol75]

Add outlawing lobbist and I'm in.

[utvolpj]

a more informed electorate would solve many of our issues

[kptvol]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

And, to some degree you will eliminate the citizen legislator/representative because only the wealthiest will give up a career to serve for 12 years and then come out and be that much further behind than they would have been had they not served.

I'd say serving in the Senate would build some pretty important contacts for whatever business you wanted.

[paul1454]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

The only problem with term limits is that you tend to shift power then to the staffers, who have all the insitutional memory. Having said that, something along the lines of what you suggest is probably worth considering.

And having said that, do not overestimate the effects of what you propose. The amount of money we spend on this is infinitesimal compared to the other financial burdens we have. And, to some degree you will eliminate the citizen legislator/representative because only the wealthiest will give up a career to serve for 12 years and then come out and be that much further behind than they would have been had they not served.

Not that the system does not currently draft primarily wealthy people.

I'm not sure how one would be further behind. The pay is still good, the increases would just be tacked to the CPI, GDP growth, whatever. Sure, there won't be extremely generous retirement plans, but rbroyles proposal said they wouldn't be restricted from purchasing their own plan. An IRA could be rolled over after they finished their term(s) and, thus, they wouldn't be in much worse of a position.

[Velo Vol]

Originally Posted by rbroyles

The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

Did they? How many Joe Citizens were in their ranks? And how many Elite Citizens?

[Velo Vol]

Why not pay lawmakers minimum wage while we are at it?

[volinbham]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

And having said that, do not overestimate the effects of what you propose. The amount of money we spend on this is infinitesimal compared to the other financial burdens we have.

It's not to save money, it is to more closely align the interests of Congress with the people they represent. Since they are exempted from the impact of their policies with regard to SS, HC, etc. they don't have the same skin in the game as your close buddy Joe Sixer.

The hope is that they will vote differently if the outcome affects them the same way it affects us.