The Empire Page

I recently received an e-mail from a friend. He is a veteran and a patriot and someone who cares deeply for his country. The e-mail suggested that if, as President Abraham Lincoln once stated, if we are to survive as a country we need to be a "Government of the people, by the people, for the people," then we must start to reform our government and our laws to get our country back to being just that, a country with a government for the "people".

The e-mail suggests a grass roots effort by the citizens of our country to propose a Congressional Reform Act of 2010. If we are to truly give government back to the people, we first need to take back our government from our elected representatives and restructure in the way our founding fathers intended it to operate; that is, we elect representatives who, in turn, represent the interests and positions of their constituents.

Serving in Congress was a privilege and most ran for office because of a sense of duty to their country. It was intended they would serve a term and then get back to their trade or professional career. It was not intended they would make serving in Congress their career.

Here is an excerpt from the e-mail providing some suggestions that should be included in the Congressional Reform Act of 2010:

1. Term Limits: Limited to 12 years with one of these possible options:

• Two Six year Senate terms
• Six Two year House terms
• 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, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2.  No Tenure and 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, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

 

3.  Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:

• All funds in the Congressional retirement fund shall be moved 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, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.

 

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

• 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.

 

5. Congress can no longer vote themselves a pay raise.

• Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
• 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.

 

6. Congress looses their current 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, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

 

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

• 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.

 

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.

 

Okay, so let's get started. Who's with me?

Douglas Boettner

doug.boettner@gmail.com