Term Limits, And Other Ways to Clean Up Congress

One political issue that seems to get little or no traction in Washington is term limits. It seems to be a dirty word.

Why should Congress change their culture when they control their pay and benefits? They decide when and how much their salary should be. Presently a Congressman/woman earns $174,000 a year. Higher ranking positions earn more. They receive substantial allowances for office space and staff, both in Washington and their home district. By serving only five years they are entitled to a pension at age 62. They are eligible at 50 if they serve 20 years, and at anytime if they serve 25 years.They exempted themselves from laws like insider trading, and Obama Care.

The only control the taxpayer has is at the ballot box.

It’s interesting to note that from 1789-1855 members of Congress received only a daily pay of $6 while in session. It was about patriotism not pay. That has gradually changed over the years as the pay, benefits and perks have grown. I can understand that they want fair pay, but I also believe the tax payer is entitled to a day’s work for a day's pay. As in the private sector, there should be some return.

What are we getting for our money? The taxpayer expects low unemployment, little or no debt, a sound fiscal policy, legal immigration, affordable health care, elimination of waste and fraud, honest representation, a secure country, a balanced budget and enforcement of the laws of the land.

Don’t they understand why their approval ratings are so low? Washington has failed on all counts.

Based on their current performance they certainly don’t deserve the monies, benefits, perks and positions they hold. In the private sector if you don’t do your job you lose it. In the public sector officials have to be voted out of office. That seems like a simple thing, but historically we keep re-electing the same people regardless of good performance or poor performance. Once in office it seems impossible to remove them. Robert Byrd, of West Virginia, served an unprecedented 57 years. At the end he couldn’t walk and was dying when he was practically carried to the chambers to vote. Presently his family receives his $193,000 pension.

The voters are at fault for supporting and re-electing unproductive representatives. Will term limits solve the problem? Probably not. It will only eliminate some hardworking, productive representatives. I would recommend revamping the compensation, benefits and perks presently received by elected officials. It should be modeled after the private sector.

To be honest, many of our elected officials have no real qualifications to serve. Their major qualification was to talk the voters into voting for them. Most of them use the talking points given them by Party Leaders and spend little or no real time creating ideas or solving problems. They vote the party line. Isn’t it interesting to listen to Senators and Congressmen repeat the same words and talking points in interviews? Did we elect puppets? How serious are these people? They should be reading and doing their homework on the legislation they vote on.

In the private sector they would be fired.

So my recommendation is to tie all of their compensation, benefits and perks to a plan that is comparable to the private sector. First, I would set the retirement age at 75. Their pensions would be social security with the same conditions as everyone else. If they want, they can pay for their own IRA’s, or another retirement plan.

Congress should no longer vote themselves pay raises. It should be determined by the Cost Of Living Index and given when Senior Citizens get their pay raises. Congress should participate in the same health care system as the private sector.

All contracts made by congress should be null and void. They did not make them with the American people, and they were made between themselves for their own betterment. How many people running for office in 2012 will run on a platform to make these changes? If they talk the talk about change, then they should be willing to change their compensation, benefits and perks.

They should not be allowed to serve as a lobbyists or consultant to government until five years has passed since leaving office. Serving in Congress is an honor not a career. They should not look upon it as a way to enrich themselves.

It’s time that we make elected officials accountable to the taxpayer. They are not royalty, they are public servants.

If they don’t want to change their culture and start being productive, we need to vote them out. If the voter doesn’t change and take voting seriously then we will get what we deserve: crooked, corrupt politicians.

Politicians talk change, but we must demand and tell them the changes we want. If they are above making the necessary changes, then its time to say "Good bye. You're FIRED!"