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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Congressional Reform Act of 2013

This arrived in my Inbox from someone who thought that it was real. Easy to debunk as a viral email slash chain letter, because it originated back in January and July of 2011. A later version added a matching quote from Warren Buffett, and the most recent version is given as a request initiated by Buffett. Sorry, it is an email hoax.

Having said that, it sure would be wonderful if these ideas were indeed passed into law. So I am posting a slightly-revised text of the bogus law here in the hope that some Congressperson will actually put forward such a reform, and get co-sponsors, and so on. And what you can do is forward the proposal – NOT as an edict from Warren Buffett, but as a genuine Good Idea – to your delegate in the U.S. Congress and in the U.S. Senate.

Where is Frank Capra's Mr. Jefferson Smith when we really need him?

1. No Tenure / No Pension: A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress 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 and Congress participates with the American people. Such funds may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Retirement Plan: Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Pay Raises: Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will increase by the lower of C.P.I. or 3%.

5. Health Benefits: Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Equal Rights: Congress must equally abide by all laws that they impose on the American people.

7. Contracts: All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective at the end of the calendar year. The American people did not make such contracts with members of Congress. Serving in Congress is an honor not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Copyright 2013 by G.E. Nordell, all rights reserved

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