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THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
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Government & Elections
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
<font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">Whether you're a red state Republican or a blue state Democrat, everyone is welcome — just remember to be civil.</font>
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 (past, pr
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Cat:d51398b3-89f9-463d-bf1b-4b885f02c9eeForum:af978875-5bc6-4b07-a6fb-b18062132f95
Cat:d51398b3-89f9-463d-bf1b-4b885f02c9eeForum:af978875-5bc6-4b07-a6fb-b18062132f95Discussion:d94901b6-f514-472f-a17b-f0eef2bf3efd
Forums » Politics & Society » Government & Elections » THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
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THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 5, 2012 11:26 AM EST
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Posts: 533
First: August 9, 2011 Last: May 22, 2013 |
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Re: WHAT'S RIGHT - WHAT'S WRONG - With Your Post
posted at January 5, 2012 12:59 PM EST
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Posts: 1923
First: November 27, 2011 Last: May 18, 2013 |
In Response to THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: 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 (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. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective immediately. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. 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. If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive. Don't you think it's time? Posted by creppelrm 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office. Term limits would be fine except the whole process of moving into a position of authority depends on senior ranking and party in control at the time. 2. 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. It may not be used for any other purpose All members of Congress, the President and Vice President, Federal judges, and most political appointees, were covered under the Social Security program starting in January 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else. Thus all members of Congress, no matter how long they have been in office, have been paying into the Social Security system since January 1984. If you want to know about other government employees - check out The History of Social Security FAQ on the Social Security website. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. It is rather lucrative but IMO no more than any other public emplyee pension system at all levels of government - Federal, State and even local. The days of any defined pension benefit is rapidly coming to a close in the world of private businesses - UNIONS keep them alive in the public and private arena. Let's just do away with all defined benefit plans for everybody. ALL people should save for their retirement themselves. Do you think that the military should also be included? From Panetta's/Obama speech today, these military retirement benefits might just get some rearrangement due to the DOD cuts to their budget. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. We could just use whatever (current) measure they assign to Social Security and VA benefit. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. Their health insurance is pretty much like those that work for employers - their system is the same as any Federal Government employee. Numerous health insurers offer plans and the Federal employee picks whichever one is the best for them. Members of Congress have good health insurance by any standard, but it’s not free and not reserved only for them – and it’s not government insurance. House and Senate members are allowed to purchase private health insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which covers more than 8 million other federal employees, retirees and their families. Now just how do you want it to work now that you have some real FACTS? |
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Re: WHAT'S RIGHT - WHAT'S WRONG - With Your Post
posted at January 5, 2012 2:03 PM EST
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Posts: 533
First: August 9, 2011 Last: May 22, 2013 |
The real facts are anything can be changed. If you continue to believe what you say is etched in stone, well it's not. What you say is what Congess made up for themselves and not what the people actually are aware of or want. n Response to Re: WHAT'S RIGHT - WHAT'S WRONG - With Your Post: In Response to THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! : 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office. Term limits would be fine except the whole process of moving into a position of authority depends on senior ranking and party in control at the time. 2. 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. It may not be used for any other purpose All members of Congress, the President and Vice President, Federal judges, and most political appointees, were covered under the Social Security program starting in January 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else. Thus all members of Congress, no matter how long they have been in office, have been paying into the Social Security system since January 1984. If you want to know about other government employees - check out The History of Social Security FAQ on the Social Security website. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. It is rather lucrative but IMO no more than any other public emplyee pension system at all levels of government - Federal, State and even local. The days of any defined pension benefit is rapidly coming to a close in the world of private businesses - UNIONS keep them alive in the public and private arena. Let's just do away with all defined benefit plans for everybody. ALL people should save for their retirement themselves. Do you think that the military should also be included? From Panetta's/Obama speech today, these military retirement benefits might just get some rearrangement due to the DOD cuts to their budget. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. We could just use whatever (current) measure they assign to Social Security and VA benefit. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. Their health insurance is pretty much like those that work for employers - their system is the same as any Federal Government employee . Numerous health insurers offer plans and the Federal employee picks whichever one is the best for them. Members of Congress have good health insurance by any standard, but it’s not free and not reserved only for them – and it’s not government insurance. House and Senate members are allowed to purchase private health insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program ( FEHBP), which covers more than 8 million other federal employees, retirees and their families. Now just how do you want it to work now that you have some real FACTS? Posted by GailL1 |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 10, 2012 12:47 AM EST
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Posts: 14
First: May 8, 2011 Last: January 10, 2012 |
I think you fix Congress by voting everyone out every election until we get some elected officials that start doing their job instead of just feeding at the taxpayer trough. Take the social security and Medicare issue. When I was a college sophmore I wrote a term paper on social security. This was in the mid-70s mind you and I used almost exclusively government documents for supporting research. Even back then the government was aware that social security was going broke. It has never been a surprise to anyone. Yet 40 years later all the sudden Congress says we have to start cutting entitlements. For four decades they did nothing but pass pork to get re-elected term after term. To be honest we deserve what we get. This country is dying from a terminal case of apathy. We complain and then go about our lives and do nothing to change anything. Now? I think it is way too late. Things will just continue deteriorating so we will have plenty more to complain about. |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 10, 2012 10:26 AM EST
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Posts: 1923
First: November 27, 2011 Last: May 18, 2013 |
In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: I think you fix Congress by voting everyone out every election until we get some elected officials that start doing their job instead of just feeding at the taxpayer trough. Take the social security and Medicare issue. When I was a college sophmore I wrote a term paper on social security. This was in the mid-70s mind you and I used almost exclusively government documents for supporting research. Even back then the government was aware that social security was going broke. It has never been a surprise to anyone. Yet 40 years later all the sudden Congress says we have to start cutting entitlements. For four decades they did nothing but pass pork to get re-elected term after term. To be honest we deserve what we get. This country is dying from a terminal case of apathy. We complain and then go about our lives and do nothing to change anything. Now? I think it is way too late. Things will just continue deteriorating so we will have plenty more to complain about. Posted by ldarter I think you need to read the history of Social Security. In 1983, the Reagan administration made changes to SS to bring in more money. That actually saved the system for a long time. But it does have to be revisited from time to time because so many circumstances affect the income and outgo to the fund. FINANCIAL DATA FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUNDS Here is some statistical financial reports from SSA - notice how the Trust Fund increased in reserve after Reagan's reform too effect in 1987 - follow it down to 2009 and you will see the crisis begin. The crisis - down economy collections, baby boomers coming on board, more people taking early retirement due to down economy. The same data is available for only SS Disability and it looks about the same - |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 10, 2012 8:11 PM EST
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Posts: 14
First: May 8, 2011 Last: January 10, 2012 |
In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! : I think you need to read the history of Social Security. In 1983, the Reagan administration made changes to SS to bring in more money. That actually saved the system for a long time. But it does have to be revisited from time to time because so many circumstances affect the income and outgo to the fund. FINANCIAL DATA FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUNDS Here is some statistical financial reports from SSA - notice how the Trust Fund increased in reserve after Reagan's reform too effect in 1987 - follow it down to 2009 and you will see the crisis begin. The crisis - down economy collections, baby boomers coming on board, more people taking early retirement due to down economy. The same data is available for only SS Disability and it looks about the same - Posted by GailL1 Yes, I am aware that changes were made in 1983 to shore up the system when it was in trouble then. That is precisely my point. That was more than two decades ago and since then Congress has done nothing which is why social security is in crisis again. The Baby Boomer generation, one of the largest generations ever, started in 1946. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Boomers would start retiring in 2011. What has any Congressman who has been in office for the last 20 years done to ensure continued solvency of the Social Security system? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Throw the bums out. Get rid of professional politicians. That is how you fix Congress. |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 11, 2012 10:58 AM EST
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Posts: 533
First: August 9, 2011 Last: May 22, 2013 |
Idarter Reagan put a band aid on Social Security to fix it. No one mentions that he left this country in a deficit like both of the Bush administrations. I agree with you that everyone of these lawmakers have to go. The problem is no one ever votes their particular lawmaker out. As you mentioned our society and political system is deteriorating and everyone is just sitting by and watch it go. We will soon be a third world country with a lot of nuclear weapons just as what happened to Russia in the 90's. In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! : Yes, I am aware that changes were made in 1983 to shore up the system when it was in trouble then. That is precisely my point. That was more than two decades ago and since then Congress has done nothing which is why social security is in crisis again. The Baby Boomer generation, one of the largest generations ever, started in 1946. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Boomers would start retiring in 2011. What has any Congressman who has been in office for the last 20 years done to ensure continued solvency of the Social Security system? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Throw the bums out. Get rid of professional politicians. That is how you fix Congress. Posted by ldarter |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 11, 2012 12:31 PM EST
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Posts: 1923
First: November 27, 2011 Last: May 18, 2013 |
In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: Idarter Reagan put a band aid on Social Security to fix it. No one mentions that he left this country in a deficit like both of the Bush administrations. In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! : Posted by creppelrm The changes that President Reagan made to Social Security began to accrue assets held in the Trust Fund starting in 1987. They have been steadily growing to the Trust Fund asset balance with NO negative downturn UNTIL 2009 - 3rd quarter. If he had not done this, none of us would be under the SS sytem today. You can easily follow this income, outgo and assets effect in the Trust Fund from 1987 to 2010 on this Social Security Administration website Office of the Chief Actuary: Financial data for the Social Security Trust Funds. How many times does the government's own data have to be posted for the truth to be seen? If you are using U.S. debt data in total, then the current President has the prize on deficit spending. |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 12, 2012 2:09 AM EST
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Posts: 533
First: August 9, 2011 Last: May 22, 2013 |
Again, we were in a deep recession and a large deficit when our current president took office because of two wars and the building of schools, prisons, hospitals etc in countries other than ours. If we could spend billions of dollars in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan why can't we spend billions on our own people? No one can convince me that we cannot have free health care for our citizens like the rest of the industrialized nations in this world. Some people say greed makes this a great nation but greed also has to be controlled. Try looking up what was spent on these wars and how much contractors made on building projects and services like haliburton. Also research the money spent that is totally unaccounted for. Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: In Response to Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! : The changes that President Reagan made to Social Security began to accrue assets held in the Trust Fund starting in 1987. They have been steadily growing to the Trust Fund asset balance with NO negative downturn UNTIL 2009 - 3rd quarter. If he had not done this, none of us would be under the SS sytem today. You can easily follow this income, outgo and assets effect in the Trust Fund from 1987 to 2010 on this Social Security Administration website Office of the Chief Actuary: Financial data for the Social Security Trust Funds. How many times does the government's own data have to be posted for the truth to be seen? If you are using U.S. debt data in total, then the current President has the prize on deficit spending. Posted by GailL1 |
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Re: THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
posted at January 12, 2012 7:34 PM EST
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Posts: 12532
First: February 29, 2008 Last: May 17, 2013 |
In Response to THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!: 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 (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. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective immediately. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. 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. If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive. Don't you think it's time? Posted by creppelrm GOOD JOB sir. ------I can only add that the most recent info I could find ....... . 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. |
Forums » Politics & Society » Government & Elections » THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
