Large Scale Central

You wanted change?

General Discussion
#1

This was written by a Norma White, but I could not verify what paper it was published in. Certainly some good questions, or at least I think so. It is written that she is from Amarillo and is a retired engineer from Southwestern Bell.

“You want change? Try these ideas.”

Each presidential candidate gave his rendition of the changes he wanted for America. Here are a few that I believe all Americans want.

. Limit Congress from serving more than two terms. That is all that the presidents are allowed.

. Stop Congress from voting for their own raises. How did that ever get started?

. Stop paying for lawmakers’ high priced insurance premiums. After all, they are only part-time employees. They might pass some law changes on the insurance companies, if they had to find one.

. Stop paying lawmakers their full salary after serving just one term, or at retirement. We need to get rid of that pension plan: they’ve let other companies get rid of theirs. You were lucky to get 40 to 50 percent of your salary after working somewhere for 35 years, but they get 100%.

. Make Congress pay into the Social Security system. They make law for it. If they spent some of their money, they might be interested in making it solvent.

. Stop handing out aid to illegal aliens. If we did, then Medicaid and the food stamp program would have enough money to aid the aged and the poor.

. Secure our borders

. Stop allowing babies born to illegal aliens in the United States to automatic U.S. citzenship.

. Stop the abuse of our benevolent welfare system. We feed children free meals three times a day until they are 17. Churches give away good, clean clothes. Companies buy and donate school supplies. Emergency rooms provide health care at tax payers expense and the food stamp program is buying food for the home. What are parents doing for their children?

. Have a computer program that cross checks Social Security numbers with fingerprints to stop fraud on many fronts. Use it on voter registration, too.

. Stop bailing out mortgage companies and banks that give loans to people who cannot afford them.

. Stop companies from paying CEOs and other executives outrageous salaries and bonuses while doing away with workers’ pensions.

. 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 covered on a driver’s llicense.

Only Congress can do this, as they are the lawmakers and who thinks they are interested in changing anything? Why would they?

#2

Good Grief, Ric, what are you, some sort of revolutionary?

#3

Viva la Revolution!!!

#4

I want change…any denomination is fine. Pretty bad when panhandlers often make so much more than I do.

#5
Quote:
... . Limit Congress from serving more than two terms. That is all that the presidents are allowed.

. Stop Congress from voting for their own raises. How did that ever get started?

. Stop paying for lawmakers’ high priced insurance premiums. After all, they are only part-time employees. They might pass some law changes on the insurance companies, if they had to find one…

  • Stop paying lawmakers their full salary after serving just one term, or at retirement. We need to get rid of that pension plan: they’ve let other companies get rid of theirs. You were lucky to get 40 to 50 percent of your salary after working somewhere for 35 years, but they get 100%.

. Make Congress pay into the Social Security system. They make law for it. If they spent some of their money, they might be interested in making it solvent.


Point 1 - Many states have legislative term limits. It’s debatable whether they have any effect on the government. Some long-time members of congress do fantastic things for their constituents, others not so much. It depends on the individual.

Point 2 - Congress’s pay, and that for any federal employee, is set by congress. That’s just the way it works. Congress doesn’t vote often to raise their own salaries, and when they do, the amounts reflect an increase typical of cost-of-living and inflation adjustments. Members have the option of turning down any increases that may be due to them at any time. How did that get started? Well, the founding fathers put that in motion.

Point 3 - The federal health coverage plan is not “high priced,” and in fact many view it as a model for a nationalized health care system. It is administered by the government, but run through private insurance companies such as Blue Cross, etc. Federal employees (including congress) have their choice of providers and plans. The campaign platform of “giving everyone the same health coverage as members of congress” is not really that impossible nor expensive a proposition.

Lawmakers as “part-time” employees? Er, I don’t know where the author comes up with that one. Members of congress have a work schedule that would send most Americans running away screaming. Yeah, they get long “vacations” when congress is not in session. That’s when they’re back in their home districts doing the other half of their job.

Point 4 - False. The congressional pension plan is complex and based on a wide variety of factors including age and length of service, but it does not allow for 100% salary upon retirement. By law, the absolute maximum they can receive is 80%, and most don’t receive even close to that.
Here’s a link to their plan: http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

“According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.” (Source - http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm

That’s a far cry from Congress’s salary of $169,300.

Point 5 - If you have already clicked on the above link, then you know this is false for any federal employee, including members of congress after 1984.

Later,

K

#6

A problem I see is the short length of the term for members of the House of Representatives. With two year terms, they are in effect always running for reelection.
We need some real election reform. McCain’s bill was all smoke and mirrors. Did absolutely nothing to reform campaign finance while allowing the politicians to claim they did something to reform campaign finance.
As long as it takes big money to get elected, money will decide the elections as well as the votes of the elected.
Ralph

#7
Ralph Berg said:
A problem I see is the short length of the term for members of the House of Representatives. With two year terms, they are in effect always running for reelection. We need some real election reform. McCain's bill was all smoke and mirrors. Did absolutely nothing to reform campaign finance while allowing the politicians to claim they did something to reform campaign finance. As long as it takes big money to get elected, money will decide the elections as well as the votes of the elected. Ralph
The idea of the Founders was that a Representative would leave his farm or business for two years to attend to the nation's business, and then return to his farm or business. None of the Founders envisioned the professional political class that we are saddled with now. The Senate's terms was set at 6 years with the thought that more senior folks, who could afford to take 6 years away from their farms and businesses (probably semi-retired, or had sons to run the farm while they were away). It was thought that these elder statesmen would act as a check on the more rash House of Congress.

None of the Founders envisioned a case like Senator Byrd, where a man serves? more than 50 years as a Senator.

Mike will probably tell me I’m wrong, just for the exercise, but he knows I’m right! :lol:

#8

The Founders and even up into the 20th Century (pre-air conditioning), everybody left the mosquito infested swamp of Washington, DC. Now the mosquitoes leave, because the can’t handle the stench. Early Representatives and Senators had jobs, businesses and professions, now so many of them are just lawyers that people are happy to elect them just to get them in Washington, DC and away from the home front.

Until there is an incentive for people that would become politicians to work for a living, they will conitue to live off of us.

#9

Ric if you wanted some change, help yourself…

(http://cache.consumerist.com/assets/resources/2007/12/Coins.jpg)

:wink:

#10

“Stop companies from paying CEOs and other executives outrageous salaries and bonuses while doing away with workers’ pensions”.

Wow, government controlling how much a private company can pay a top teir employee because they stomped on the lower paid worker…sounds like socialism! :slight_smile:

#11

SOCIALISM , oh no , we wouldn’t want the government involved in almost everything in our daily lives would we ? Look around you , WHAT does not have ANY government ties in any way ?

#12

From my crazy libertarian friend, who seems less crazy as years go by:

(http://ecomcon.dnsalias.com/images/Change2.png)

http://ecomcon.dnsalias.com/you_asked_for_it.htm?

#13
Dennis Paulson said:
SOCIALISM , oh no , we wouldn't want the government involved in almost everything in our daily lives would we ? Look around you , WHAT does not have ANY government ties in any way ?
The gummint doesn't tell me how often I have to mow my lawn.

My wife does that. :smiley:

#14

Tom Ruby said:
From my crazy libertarian friend, who seems less crazy as years go by:

(http://ecomcon.dnsalias.com/images/Change2.png)

http://ecomcon.dnsalias.com/you_asked_for_it.htm?

Tom. Be quiet. You don’t want to be taken away to a camp, do you?

#15
Steve Featherkile said:
Dennis Paulson said:
SOCIALISM , oh no , we wouldn't want the government involved in almost everything in our daily lives would we ? Look around you , WHAT does not have ANY government ties in any way ?
The gummint doesn't tell me how often I have to mow my lawn.

My wife does that. :smiley:


Hey Steve, Socialism is alive and well in the US and tons and tons of Republicans buy into it every year, where you sak, well if ya want a dose of good old fashion Russian Socialism? dont need to go East for it, just move yerself into a new home tract with a HOA, they’ll not only tell ya when to move your lawn but also what your allowed to plant in the yard, the species of grass allowed, what kindo of and color of drapes you can have, what color yer house can be and what you can do in your backyard if its visible from the street and also if its visable from the street, what you have hanging on the wall inside your living room! Commie socialism in its classic definition! Yet millions of people have bought into it nationwide without even thinking about what they are actually doing.

Now this good’ole “Liberal” Democrat wound never allow anyone to tell me what to do or boss me around like this. Its why I live in an older long established neighborhood without surrounding fortress walls to keep out all those hippie types who paint their houses and plant there gardens without signed specific directives and approval of whats allowed from the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union…err I mean the HOA.

:lol:

#16
Mark Verbrugge said:
"Stop companies from paying CEOs and other executives outrageous salaries and bonuses while doing away with workers' pensions".

Wow, government controlling how much a private company can pay a top teir employee because they stomped on the lower paid worker…sounds like socialism! :slight_smile:


Mark,

You’ll notice I just copied an article that was presented to me. It does not mean that I totally agree with her thoughts, but I think it is an interesting thought as to the degree of distrust of our Congress and Corporate leaders.

My personal thoughts agree with yours, that without controlling a company, I think companies could be taxed, or at least not given tax breaks, for providing such extreme golden parachutes and stock options to the high executives. Let that be a negative against the profits and not a tax write off and it may change things a little.

#17
Victor Smith said:
Steve Featherkile said:
Dennis Paulson said:
SOCIALISM , oh no , we wouldn't want the government involved in almost everything in our daily lives would we ? Look around you , WHAT does not have ANY government ties in any way ?
The gummint doesn't tell me how often I have to mow my lawn.

My wife does that. :smiley:


Hey Steve, Socialism is alive and well in the US and tons and tons of Republicans buy into it every year, where you sak, well if ya want a dose of good old fashion Russian Socialism? dont need to go East for it, just move yerself into a new home tract with a HOA, they’ll not only tell ya when to move your lawn but also what your allowed to plant in the yard, the species of grass allowed, what kindo of and color of drapes you can have, what color yer house can be and what you can do in your backyard if its visible from the street and also if its visable from the street, what you have hanging on the wall inside your living room! Commie socialism in its classic definition! Yet millions of people have bought into it nationwide without even thinking about what they are actually doing.

Now this good’ole “Liberal” Democrat wound never allow anyone to tell me what to do or boss me around like this. Its why I live in an older long established neighborhood without surrounding fortress walls to keep out all those hippie types who paint their houses and plant there gardens without signed specific directives and approval of whats allowed from the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union…err I mean the HOA.

:lol:


Vic,

I know what you mean. I moved into one of those once. It was so bad that I had to get myself elected to the board just to protect my interests. I was even President of the Association for a while, just to calm them down. After I moved on, the board went back to its usual harassing ways.

Never again. I moved into the country so I wouldn’t have that experience again. Plenty of elbow room is better.

#18

Dennis Paulson is the kind of “liberal Democrat” (his deifnition, not mine) you want on your side. Dennis , I thought you were just a hard working American. :wink: I agree with you on the type of neighborhood to live in and, we both know, a lot of other things.

#19
Ric Golding said:
Mark Verbrugge said:
"Stop companies from paying CEOs and other executives outrageous salaries and bonuses while doing away with workers' pensions".

Wow, government controlling how much a private company can pay a top teir employee because they stomped on the lower paid worker…sounds like socialism! :slight_smile:


Mark,

You’ll notice I just copied an article that was presented to me. It does not mean that I totally agree with her thoughts, but I think it is an interesting thought as to the degree of distrust of our Congress and Corporate leaders.

My personal thoughts agree with yours, that without controlling a company, I think companies could be taxed, or at least not given tax breaks, for providing such extreme golden parachutes and stock options to the high executives. Let that be a negative against the profits and not a tax write off and it may change things a little.


Understood Ric, not directed your way…I am amazed when I read many articles how one man’s socialism is another man’s “economic stimulis package”. Seems almost everyone agrees with redistributing the wealth, they just disagree on who should get it. The term “bailout” is getting to be quite tiresome in my book.

Instead of “tax breaks” how 'bout “fair taxes” for all?

#20

I think getting people to agree on the “fair taxes for all”, would be the hard part.