Congressional Reform Act of 2011

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.

Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when he is 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.

This is an interesting thought and is well worth pursuing. Thinking back to Article Five of the Constitution, 2/3rds of the state legislatures may call for a convention. I think ridiculous states are simply out--you'll never get California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, or Illinois in on this, but you might get 2/3rds.

Well, I'd always defer to your superior knowledge of Illinois electoral politics, Sheik. But from my vantage point, the Illinois electorate may have finally had their fill what with the last two governors occupying space in the federal penal system and all... But, even more so, the rejection of the gangster, Giannoulias, in favor of Kirk is a good sign. No?

My perception is that Illinois has been a very close second in its race with California toward bankruptcy protection. California has the edge only because so many counties and municipalities are poised to follow the state off the cliff.

While California shows no signs of throttling their suicidal tendencies (mandatory gay history in public schools, mandatory protection of union teachers despite no money to pay them, etc...), Illinois has at least rejected one obvious crook (unless, of course, one counts Roland Burris).

I maybe should have said that I got this in an e-mail. I really like the initiative but I have to lump it in with the well-intentioned boycott of Exxon Mobil, i.e., it probably ain't going to happen. I'd think the time would be ripe for this sort of thing to go viral given the smarmy ineptitude of our elected officials.