Fifty To Life

“Civil disobedience, that’s not our problem. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem.” ~ Howard Zinn

I did a lot of thinking on my day off of the www. You’ve likely seen other versions of this. I took the basics and re-wrote it to suit me. Very satisfying!!! Please look it over and tell me what you’d change or tweak. I’m all ears. Then let’s figure out how to ram this down Congress’ throat the way it does its little pet projects — like NDAA, SOPA & PIPA, the Patriot Act, TSA, S510, the Drug War, etc. — all of which rob us of our money and our liberty.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012

WHEREAS The American people did not make contracts regarding salary, pensions, and health care benefits with Members of Congress. WHEREAS Members of Congress made these contracts with themselves with money they took from the American people. WHEREAS Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. WHEREAS The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, ours should serve their term(s), then go home and get back to work.

1. Salary:

• Members of Congress collect a salary while in office and receive no pay when out of office.
• Members of Congress may not vote on a pay raise for themselves. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

2. Social Security:

• Members of Congress (past, present & future) must participate 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. It may not be used for any other purpose.
• Any member of Congress putting forward a bill or resolution that even hints at using Social Security funds for any other purpose will be fired from Congress immediately.

3. Pension:

• Members of Congress no longer receive a pension.
• All pension/benefits contracts with past and present members of Congress are null and void, effective immediately.
• Pension payments to past members of Congress will cease immediately.
• Any member of Congress who complains must begin paying back all pension money paid to him/her to date.

4. Health Care:

• Health care benefits for members of Congress cease immediately.

5. Enforcement of Laws:

• Congress must abide by all laws imposed on the American people.
• Any member of Congress found guilty of breaking any laws must serve the minimum jail time.
• Members of Congress are subject to random drug tests to be conducted at the whim of their constituents no more than twice a month.
• Should any member of the public smell marijuana around a member of Congress or around a member of Congress’ office, home, car, plane, boat or other private property, citizen may conduct a search of the premises immediately. This is not a joke.

6. Term Limits:

• Members of Congress shall be allowed to serve no more than two consecutive terms.

7. Federal Employees:

• Numbers 1 through 5 above apply to all federal employees, effective immediately.

NOTE: Members of Congress and federal employees may secure health care in the private system at their own individual expense and are free to invest their personal funds in their own retirement plan.

</end>

Pretty good, huh? What did I leave out?