The citizens of this country are disillusioned with politicians in general and congress in particular. This issue has circulated fast an furious via email, even from people who are normally not interested in politics. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

Here in Detroit, we are being ignored, put in the dark. Our street lights our no longer on. Our street lights are turned on only when the news want a story of a violent crime. In Rememberance of Sgt. Quintin Leroy Thomas and other falling soldiers. In the process, call Public Lighting and demand for the lights to be turned back on in your neighborhood. PUBLIC LIGHTING 9449 Grinnell Ave. Detroit, MI 48213 Phone: (313) 267-7202 Fax: (313) 267-5118

These ideas have been going around the internet and it's time to act. This is bipartisan in nature and is going to both Democrats and Republicans. We should all seriously consider helping implement the changes suggest

Politicians in Congress want to cut the pay and benefits of our fighting men and women because they haven't been able to effectively manage our money over the years. Yet, how many pay increases have they self-approved for themselves when the other 99% of Americans are struggling every day to make ends meet. Politicians get life-long benefits for severing only one term when our military sons and daughters have to serve at least 20 years for lesser benefits. No politician should earn $100,000+ a year in retirement when they are suppose to be a public servant working for the American people. Sign this petition to once and for all reduce the pay and benefits of politicians who are put in office to serve the American people; not their own selfish goals. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. Our Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work. Reference: Pay Chart: • Congress Members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000 • Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400 • Cabinet Members: $199,700 • Speaker of the House: $223,500

As long as money is allowed to influence elections unchecked, laws will be written to benefit those with money. The overwhelming majority of Americans do not have the ability to influence elections with anywhere near the effectiveness of a single large campaign donation, and so they are without a voice. Once we make our government responsible to us, we can get on with fixing the tax code, addressing government waste, talking honestly about abortion and the death penalty, environmental protection, global warming, international trade, etc. Until then, who is going to listen to the people?

As a representative republic we have a very low turn out of registered voters. Even in hotly contested presidential elections, it is only about 60%. By making election day a national holiday it will increase the situational awareness of the importance of elections and make access to the polls easier for many Americans.

The actions taken by Congress must be felt by Congress. Why should they be any different than us?

An e mail has been circulating for the past weeks, and suddenly it dawned on me that it was being read by lots of Americans who all agreed on its premises, but it needed publicity in order to reach the ears of our legislators. In order to enact the change that Occupy Wall Street is demonstrating to achieve, this would be the perfect platform to combine action with a plan

This pledge gives FOCUS to the 99% protests by GETTING MONEY OUT OF POLITICS. Any legislator failing to sign the pledge should be OPPOSED IN A 2012 PRIMARY by a protester willing to stand up and file for election.

Basic Change everyone can get behind. Read the key points above. I did not write them, I do not know who did. Is it perfect? No, but the message is good. Let's make Congress work for the People of the United States of America!

Making congress accountable!!!!

Congress should have to live by the same rules as all citizens.