Help start the 28th Amendment – the Congressional Reform Act of 2011
(There’s been a resurgence among America’s citizens calling for greater equality between members of Congress and those they serve. Before taking action, READ UNTIL THE END. TCV ed.)
1. Term Limits
Terms are limited to twelve years only–suggested options:
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms
2. No Tenure / No Pension
A member of Congress collects a salary while in office and receives no pay once out of office.
3. Members of Congress (past, present, and future) 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, and Congress participates with the American people.
4. Members of Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
5. Members of Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Members of Congress lose their current health care benefits and participate in the same health care system as the American people.
7. Members of Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
8. All contracts with past and present Members of Congress are void effective 10-1-11.
The American people did not make these contracts with Congress.
Members of Congress made these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators. Our members of congress should serve their term(s) then go home and back to work.
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for eighteen-year olds) took only three months and eight days to be ratified! Why? Because the people demanded it. That was in 1971–before computers, before e-mail, cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven took one year or less to become the law of the land … all because of public pressure.
Share this link with a minimum of twenty of your friends, colleagues, and family. Ask them to do the same. It will take only three days for most people in the U.S. to receive this message. THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
Brenda Avadian, MA, Editor of The Caregiver’s Voice writes:
I received this from a prolific op-ed writer. Although, I believe our representatives are public servants and have acted for far too long in self-interest and less in service of the American people, I do caution that we examine the facts amidst impassioned pleas. We must make certain our statements are accurate; otherwise, we risk being ignored.
The basic premise of Amendment 28 is very brief and simple – that members of Congress should be treated equally to those their laws govern. However, people have added details over time – some factual and some not.
Two links stand out after a brief initial Google search:
Neal Rechtman’s political thriller entitled The 28th AmendmentA book about a television show featuring a fictionalized US President that becomes all too real and threatens the real presidency.
Click on the link Snopes.com re: 28th Amendment.
According to Snopes, which examines urban legends and fast-moving internet campaigns, not all the points above are factual. For example the facts around members of Congress retiring after a single term or being exempt from paying into Social Security are not entirely accurate. A real eye opener.
