Intellect on Hold and Introducing the Congressional Reform Act of 2010

Why is it that when it comes to politics or religion we as humans have to put our intellect on hold? Generally, we are smart people. But as of late we are being divided by the political forces of the media. Our country right now is more divided than it has ever been. We have he "haves" and the "have nots". Defined as those who make more than 250K per year and those who don't.

What really bothers me is the "have nots" who feel they have to follow the "haves". What is it in their values that they are following? It can't be their skills or they too would be making that kind of money. The answer is, it's emotion. Logic goes completely out the window when emotion comes into play. When someone feels so strongly about something they tend to put logic and their own intelligence aside. I believe that even News reporters are doing this these days. It used to be a reporter had to dispassionately report the facts, and nothing but the facts. Who, what, when, where and why were the tenants of journalism. Those five W's make for just too short a story these days. The only way to increase the story size is to opinionize.

The reporting of what is going on in congress is more opinion now than it ever was. What really makes things worse is these reporters really believe the story is in Congress. It isn't. It's on "K" street. "K" Street is the place where lobbyists are usually headquartered. For those of you who don't know, what do you think a congressman does when he is voted out of office or retires from office. They are usually recruited by "K" Street people because of their knowledge of the inner workings of Congress.  Not to mention the people on the inside that they know. Here's a small fact you may not know. In 1966 the number of lobbyists on "K" Street was approximately 3000, it has been estimated that there are now approximately 30,000 of these people working Congress. 30,000 K Street people convincing 545 Congressional people. Do you see the disparity here. And they're just not working Congress, I'm thinking every other form or government is being hit on too.

What we really need is the below. Good luck in getting it enacted. It would take a majority of Congress to make it happen. The guys on "K" Street would go bananas at just the mention of this. The reality, America, is this is what it is really going to take. This was supplied to me by a conservative friend of mine. We don't agree on many things but this was definitely one of them that we did. Feel free to cut-and-paste and e-mail it to anyone you wish. The more this goes around the better.

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 looses 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.