Political / For your consideration / Long

[thewoodman]

While attending Daytona Bike Week 2010 last weekend, I came across a free handout newspaper called the Harley Rendezvous Express. No big thing! It was just another of the many free offerings devoted to the motorcycle aficionados attending a bike rally on any given weekend. Bike rallies, like the general business environment, are suffering from the same economic struggles that we see every day and I listened in on many a conversation about how bad things were, how bad the jobs situation and health insurance costs were. This was usually followed by how badly the political system was miss-handling our current mess. After a while, it’s just more of the same; blah blah blah, yada yada yada, same old, same old stuff. Mostly complaints, no solutions. What else do people do on a cold, rainy Saturday afternoon?

So, while waiting out Saturday’s downpour at a south Daytona Harley parts shop, I happened upon this article in the aforementioned free paper and somehow it struck me as a common sense approach to making changes in the core of our political dilemma; not changes to the symptoms, but to the cause. I could have attached this article as a  PDF file, yet there are some folks who have less technical skills than I have and I don’t have much, so, I’m typing out this newspaper article to include in this email to make it easier to pass along for those who might be so inclined.

I usually do not pass on emails that have political (or religious) views from either side because I won’t participate in the US vs. THEM monolog mentality. There’s enough political incompetence and blame to go all around. There seems to be so much nonsense and juvenile behavior in government. I don’t care if it’s from the right or the left, it’s all crap. PEOPLE: these folks in congress are politicians! Politicians compromise EVERYTHING. That’s how they got there! That’s the definition of politics: ‘THE ART OF COMPROMISE’. That make most of them natural liars; telling each of us what they think we want to hear.

With that in mind, a politician’s constituency is not us, the general population. Whether they are local politicians, or national office holders, politicians are beholding to the folks that fund his or her election campaigns; wealthy individuals for sure, but more and more are corporations and the lobbyists for those corporations with agendas more rooted in what’s good for company profits than what’s good for WE the PEOPLE. It used to be said, 30-40 years ago, ‘What’s good for General Motors is good for the Country and vise versa’. That is no longer the case. Corporations have paid for way too much influence over our elected, professional politicians.

Politicians have become so embedded and entrenched in the political process, that we now have what some have called the ruling elite. There are not many differences between the babble spouting from republicans or democrats. Tea baggers aren’t much different in philosophy than John Birchers have been for the last 60 years, except the John Birch society is more openly racist and has better, glossier literature. Most of the hard core revisionists have radical ideas of returning to a time long passed, never to come again. Life and our political structure evolves and moves forward whether we like it or not.

So what are we to do? As some suggest, we could vote everyone out and start fresh with new politicians. However; DO NOT FORGET the ‘Law of Unintended Consequences.’ Have any of you had to work for a new boss, who knew little about what you did or how your job worked, but thought they knew everything and had power over you? Usually, it’s not a good result. Also! Don’t loose your sense of humor about the whole thing – our human condition. If some intelligent people can’t agree if global warming is real or not, how can they agree on the political theater of the absurd.

So….before putting rain gear on and heading out into the rain, I read this little newspaper article, that lays out a different, more basic path to consider. Though aimed at national politicians, logic says that this agenda may work just as well to local and statewide office holders as well. So, consider this; the article is as follows:


From February 2010 Harley Rendezvous Express, page 21



This needs to grow legs and move across America!!!

I don’t know who came up with this, but I’m for it 100%. Does anyone think this might be possible?

The proposal is to promote a ‘Congressional Reform Act of 2009’. It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

I know that many of you will say, “This is impossible.” Remember, congress has the lowest approval of any entity in government, now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress – the entity that represents us.

We need a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. Please add any ideas on how to get this done.


Congressional Reform Act of 2009 (now 2010)

1.   TERM LIMITS: 12 years maximum; one of the possible options listed below:
a.   Two Six-year Senate terms and Six two-year House terms
b.   One Six-year Senate term and three Two-year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.

2.   NO TENURE/ NO PENSION: A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.
 
    3.   Congress (past, present & Future) participates is the Social Security System like everyone else. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security System immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system; Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.

4.   Congress can purchase their own retirement plan like all Americans.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.

5.   Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the Consumer Price Index or 3% whichever is lower.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.
   
6.   Congress loses their government funded health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.


7.   Congress must equally abide by all laws that they impose on the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.

    8.   All contracts with past and present congressmen shall be null and void effective of the passage of this law.
      
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.

PLEASE REMEMBER: The American people did not give these perks to congressmen; congressmen gave these sweetheart deals to themselves. We need to take control of congress BACK!

They all seem to have forgotten:

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, not career politicians. Legislators should serve your term(s), then go home and get back to work.


So, for your consideration, what are your thoughts? Am is this just stirring the pot?

 

[fstsix]

Tea baggers aren’t much different in philosophy than John Birchers have been for the last 60 years, except the John Birch society is more openly racist and has better, glossier literature It's good to see your view of the T.E.A party, as (your opinion) Maybe you could expand on what goals the TEA has that you have all the answers, I have been working for a Harley Davidson dealer all this week, he is a TEA party member, i would like for you to explain the TEA movement to us so i can  forward this to him ?

[ricoman]

I read it twice
to me the quoted article makes a lot of sense and Woodman's comments give cause for thought.
Could not find support for "TEA party" as noted by fstsix in either the quote or Woodman's comments so I don't get the relevance to the post of the desire for Woodman to explain that movement any more than he should explain "John Birchers" whom Woodman also mentioned.
Bottom line-arbitrarily replacing all existing elected representatives may carry it's own consequences. I would also suggest that all elected representatives be covered by the same available health care plans available to their constituents.
Making them accountable is a goal we should all share- they should be responsible.
There is good stuff in here to reflect on.

[fstsix]

I read it twice
to me the quoted article makes a lot of sense and Woodman's comments give cause for thought.
Could not find support for "TEA party" as noted by fstsix in either the quote or Woodman's comments so I don't get the relevance to the post of the desire for Woodman to explain that movement any more than he should explain "John Birchers" whom Woodman also mentioned.
Bottom line-arbitrarily replacing all existing elected representatives may carry it's own consequences. I would also suggest that all elected representatives be covered by the same available health care plans available to their constituents.
Making them accountable is a goal we should all share- they should be responsible.
There is good stuff in here to reflect on.

Nice try, why dont we let him explain? i am bored

[ricoman]

 Nice try, why dont we let him explain? i am bored
[/quote]
What does he have to explain? He offered the readers of his post an opportunity to think, reflect, and perhaps comment on the points raised.
I, for one, have done so. I read the quoted material and reflected on how it may or may not fit into my views. It is food for thought -not fuel for a pointless argument.
 I do not need him to "explain" what he did not say.

[fstsix]

Are you his lawyer? and do you represent all views of this board ? TEA as compared to a racist in mild form not for a argument, go ahead maybe you can tell us the similarities as i have pointed out. Wait let me go get some popcorn.......just a minute......ok go head...you were saying?

[Moonshot_1]

Well, this cannot be passed as a law. At least not as one that can pass Constitutional muster. But provisions can be passed as a Constitutional amendment.

Amend Constitution to provide for

1. Term limits. The option 1 b would be the one.

2, No pension or tenure for Congress

Instead of #5, Congress may petition the electorate for a pay raise at every Presidental Election. Each state shall vote and the majority shall instruct their Electors of the Electorial College of how to vote on the issue. Such a raise may not be more than 3%



These items could be passed as laws

 #6 concerns Healthcare. Since this is their job, a health care plan should be a part of the compensation package. However the plan should be minimal in nature and they would likely earn enough to get a better plan in the private sector.

#3 Salary would be taxed for Social Security. Congressional members may choose to apply for benefits as per current law.

#2 takes care of #4

#7 is a great idea in spirit but may be too broad in scope. Laws concering residency requirements may be a case in point. There may be laws in a state that require you have only one place of primary residence relative to a state tax issue. This might be a problem for a Congressman or woman. The point is that there can be exceptions to laws for due cause.

#8 Voiding contracts on a whim is dangerous. Contracts might be reviewed or renegotiated perhaps, but null and void? What if the contract was to the benefit of the Taxpayers? Can't agree with #8 at all