While on vacation in Vail I read in the Monday, August 9, 2010 edition of the Vail Daily a commentary by Butch Mazucca titled “Some simple solutions for U.S.” In the article he quotes an email about the “Congressional Reform Act of 2010.” A quick search brought up a petition with that title at the Care2 Petition Site.
I thought that this petition makes so much sense that in addition to the link above, I am providing the text below:
Congressional Reform Act of 2010
Sponsored by: A Fed Up American
The following bill should be introduced in Congress. It would be called the Congressional Reform Act of 2010. It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They believed that serving in Congress is an honor not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their terms, then go home and back to work, Remember, Congress currently has the lowest approval of any entity in Government. Now is the time when Americans should join together to reform Congress – the entity that represents us.
1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.
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 congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
3. 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.
4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.
8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective one year after passage of the bill .
The American people did not make contracts with congressmen; congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.