CONTRACT WITH AMERICA

We need another Contract With America. We need to nail our own 95 Theses to the doors of Congress.  I do not care if it is from a Democrat, or a Republican, or a third party, or some lone voice crying in the wilderness, as long as they mean it and will fight for it, they will have my vote.  I would even like to see a viable third party come out of all the turmoil, perhaps the Blue Dogs could join with some Fiscally responsible Republicans, that would be a great start.

1)  On Pay Raises: Congress will have no more automatic pay-raises, if they want one they will have a recorded vote on the matter, and if it passes the pay raise will not take effect for individual congress-persons until their next election.

2) On Retirement: Congress's golden retirement is no more, you will start collecting your retirement at the same time as the general public can start collecting Social Security.  And any cost of living adjustments will be at the same percentage as social security.

3)  On Retirement: Why are we still paying for congressmen who have been found guilty, or forced to leave, or  have resigned so they will not be charged or forced to leave.  If you are found guilty of crimes, forced to leave for ethical problems, or resigned to escape charges or ethics problems you WILL NOT collect any retirement.

4) On Retirement: Congress's retirement will be means tested.  There is an obscene percentage of millionaires in both houses.  If you are wealthy enough, and your spouses worth is counted in the equation, you will not retirement.  Consider it your public service, we will give you a gold plated watch and our thanks. 

5) On Retirement: Congress will have to serve a full twenty years in office, can be a combination of Representative and Senate, before they can collect retirement.

6)  On Fact Finding Trips, Congress and your staff will be able to go, no family members allowed, no wives, no children, no pets, no domestic partners period!!  If your secretary cannot use a computer she does not get to go either.

7)  On Pork Barrel Spending:  All spending bills will have to name the author and any sponsors.

8) On Pork Barrel Spending:  All spending bills will be added in only with like bills,or will have to stand on their own merits.   No 20 million dollars for spinach growers hidden in a military procurement bill Rep. Farr!!  (He is my representative, and he loves earmarks and pork barrel). 

9) On Ear Mark Spending:  See Numbers 7 and 8

10)On Ethics:  Any Congressman who has serious and substantiated ethic and or criminal charges pending, will have to step down from his or her committee chairmanship until said charges are investigated.  We want no more Rep. Rangles, Conyers, or Sen. Dodds who retain chairmanships when charges have been leveled.

11) On Office Decorating:  Congress shall no longer buy new furniture, or remodel an office that has recently been remodeled.  You can visit a government warehouse and pick out some furniture.

12)  On Accessibility: Congress will have at least one "open" townhall meeting during your trips home.  If you have time to campaign, you have time for a townhall meeting.  If a public access channel is available, the townhall meeting shall be broadcast.

13)  On The Borders:  Congress will secure the borders.

14) On Illegal Aliens: Congress shall make a work visa program. A program that will be streamlined for issue, and trackable.  People who wish to work here should be able to without having to wait till hell freezes over. When the visa is up, time to reapply or time to go home, period.  Of the illegals here now,  if they are working, they will have a grace time to come in for a work visa, and continue to be able to work here . After that grace time is up, those  illegal aliens whop have chosen to not apply for the work visa will be deported to country of origin, and the secure borders mentioned in Number 13 will stop the revolving door of re-entry.

15)  On Welfare: Congress shall enact a drug testing program for welfare recipients.  If workers are tested for their jobs and pay, then so can welfare recipients.  There will be Drug Rehabilitation available if needed, drugs are a disease in this land.  Welfare recipients will attend Vocational Schools if they are physically and mentally able.

16)On Fraud:  Congress will hire more investigators for the Billions congress tells us there is in fraud in the Medicare and Social Security Disability Insurance.  They be worth their pay if they do the job.  Perhaps put them on a percentage basis, a percentage of the money they find in fraud and return to the public coffers. 

17) On Fraud:  Congress shall mandate, that if a Doctor or lawyer is found guilty of fraud in Medicare or SSDI, he/she has the choice of prison time, or working in a clinic or as a public defender pro bono for a specified period of time.

Please add your ideas in the comments.  We must quit acting locally for local elections.  An example, my Rep. has his seat locked in, gerrymandering is part of it, he brings home the pork is another.  Next year, as far as I can tell, he will be un-opposed for re-election; therefore my donation or my help in this election is void, but there may be one across the country that is a close race, and I happen to believe in what one stands for.  My money should go there, if I cannot elect someone locally, I might as well try and get someone elected who stands I could support.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this.  This is what you get when I cannot sleep, and my mind is whirring around.  Guess I listened to too much news last night.  Going to put some soft classical on and try to find the elusive sleep.

God bless us one and all.