I Remember

I call bullshit

(The sender of this email expressed his delight to pass this along. I call bullshit.)

"THIS IS HOW TO FIX CONGRESS!

"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.

I know many will say "this is impossible." However, Congress has the lowest approval rating of any entity in Government. Now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us.

We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American heroes.

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Congressional Reform Act of 2010

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, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

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 by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete."
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Jiminy Christmas, people,the earth is flat and commonsense is not a word, but two words improperly fused together to save one valuable space in Sarah Palin's twitter posts. She could just shut up and save 140! Wouldn't that be grand?

If each and every attendee at a tea party rally (or take back America to the 1700s rally or a white sheet conference) were polled, I would be willing to bet that less than 10% have ever read the United States Constitution or its XXVII Amendments and yet, they want to change it. And, don't even get my started on that proposed 28th Amendment crap. Sheesh!!

In the first place, the Congressional reform act of 2010 email has been floating around since Fall 2009. There are a few petitions in favor of it (most of which are closed) and a few facebook groups and pages (with 2791members & 943 likers ), the largest having little activity in several months. I get a warm feeling knowing that less than 4000 people out of 150 million facebook users in the U.S. are idiots that propagate this junk.

Anyway, and yada yada, my reply to the sender follows. I signed off with my name, degree and concentration - Legal Studies (I read the U.S. Code, court opinions and legal briefs for fun) - and I grinned with satisfaction.

"Term limits are already in place, via elections. If an employee doesn't do a good job, that employee is terminated and a new employee steps in.
Members of Congress have been required to pay Social Security taxes since 1984.
"Congressional efforts to pass a 'public option' for health insurance would have required everyone except members of Congress to participate in the new federal insurance plan. But, in the final version of health care reform legislation passed in March 2010, 'Members of Congress and congressional staff' will only have access to plans that are created by the health care bill or offered through the exchanges established by the bill."
The size of their pensions is determined by a number of factors (primarily length of service, but also factors such as when they joined Congress, their age at retirement, their salary, and the pension options they chose when they enrolled in the retirement system) and by law cannot exceed 80% of their salary at the time of their retirement.
The passage (in 1992) of the 27th Amendment limits pay raises for members of Congress. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am27
The passage of Public Law 104-1 (the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, also know at CAA) made a variety of laws related to civil rights and workplace regulations applicable to the legislative branch of the federal government.Section 201 of the CAA specifically prohibits sexual harassment (as well as harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin). http://www.compliance.gov/publications/caa-overview/congressional-accountability-act/#caa_201

http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly68.htm

http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%270E%2C*PLC8%22%40%20%20%0A

http://www.ntu.org/on-capitol-hill/pay-and-perks/do-members-of-congress-pay.html

The bulk of this info was retrieved at
http://www.snopes.com (the skeptic's friend)"

Angels among us aka Genuine Friends

This is a gift from the heart and one that is truly appreciated.

In times of need and despair, there are angels among us. They are also known as friends.

Thank you, friends.

Bitch o' the day

First: You will notice that there are only 5 posts here even though this page is over 3 years old. Heavy-duty editing and half a bottle of Irish cream did that.

Second: This has been bothering me for several days and I REALLY need to get it off my chest. *Sigh* Here goes.
People in the United States are starving. Children in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Lawton and even Ada, Oklahoma have gone to bed cold and hungry tonight. Why?
On Black Friday, the day after the biggest day of encouraged gluttony in the US, stores across America had record sales - CASH sales- of toys and gift merchandise, (including Snuggies) and later that night children went to bed cold and hungry.
This Christmas, many children will not be able to have a Christmas tree in their house - because they have no house. Victims of circumstances or bad choices have forced families to spend days and nights inside their cars or shelters. And yet, people will pay to have professionals come into their homes to decorate for the holidays - not for their own enjoyment, but only to make an impression. My dad called it "putting on the dog," which means showing off and/or pretending you are higher on the social ladder than your own rungs go. My dad was not impressed with such people especially since he was looked down on by those same types.
They don't impress me much, either.

Give to the charity of your choice this Christmas or volunteer your time at one of your local non-profit organizations.