Monday, November 1, 2010

Congressional Contract with America-2011

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.

Americans are fed up with a self-serving, America-bashing, and unpatriotic Congress. Several proposals have been suggested to reverse this situation. Here are my ideas which are consistent with the consensus of our founding fathers:

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

  • Limit Congress to serving a maximum of two terms.
  • Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. If the CPI rises less than 3%, Congress will get no pay raise.
  • Members of Congress shall receive no in-kind or any other form of compensation or expense other than established salary and franking privileges and a housing expense at established Federal employees per diem rates.
  • The Office of Management and Budget shall establish a Congressional Operating Budget and this will be the only source of funds for members’ operating and travel expenses.
  • No Federal government funds shall be used for members’ personal use or for entertainment. Travel to and from member's permanent home will be at the members' personal expense except during periods of Congressional recess. Compensated travel during recess shall be limited to one round trip at established commercial rates. Use of military aircraft is prohibited.
  • It shall be a felony crime, punishable by 5 years in prison and forfeiture of all money or property received for a Congressional or family member who profits from any bill passed by Congress for which said member sponsored or caused to be sponsored unless prior full public disclosure of potential personal benefit is made 15 days prior to final vote. When disclosure is made of potential personal benefit to a member of Congress or his/her family that member will abstain from voting on that legislation.
  • No Tenure / No Pension—A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay or compensation when they are out of office.
  • 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, Congress participates with the American people.
  • Stop handing out aid to illegal aliens. Stop allowing babies born to illegal aliens in the United States automatic U.S. citizenship.
  • Have a computer program that cross checks Social Security numbers with fingerprints to stop fraud on many fronts. Require photo ID and proof of citizenship for voter registration. Require photo ID at polling places to vote.
  • Stop Federal bailouts of mortgage companies and banks that give loans to people who cannot afford them.
  • Stop all unnecessary spending so we will have the money for our nation's security, and to help needy and elderly Americans.
  • Stop permitting anyone to have a photo with their face artificially covered on driver's licenses or any other identification documentation .
  • Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
  • Congress must personally participate in all laws they impose on the American people.
  • All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
  • All legislation submitted must be shown to conform to Constitutional limits.
  • All legislation submitted shall be free of riders or amendments which are not directly related to the original bill, shall be written in common prose, shall be published for public review for a period of 15 days prior to final vote, and shall not exceed 50 pages of single-spaced text.
  • All charges of misconduct or crimes by members shall be investigated by appropriate law enforcement and/or investigative agencies. Congressional 'ethics' or like committees shall not replace or impede such investigations.
  • The Congressional Reform Act of 2011 shall not be modified, amended, or revised except with a 2/3 ratification by all 50 States.

Proposed by Dr. Fred Thompson

October 30, 2010

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