To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Congress Is OF the People, Not Above
1) The health care benefits of Senators and Congresspeople should not exceed those they set within the provisions of ObamaCare that they voted into law or any subsequent health plan.
2) No Senator or congressperson may work as a lobbyist following their leaving office until after a lapse of years equal to the number of years they served in Congress.
3) Pensions for elected officials should be abolished. It is the Cincinnatus principle: it is a privilege to serve your fellow citizens and a duty to serve selflessly and honorably if chosen by constituents. Elective office must not be an opportunity to enrich oneself or to prepare for employment as a lobbyist.
4) They must submit to an annual in dependent audit of income in addition to filing with the IRS, and their wealth, debts and annual income must be posted on federal government websites that can be accessed by the public.
Why is this important?
To truly represent their constituents, elected representatives to the federal Senate and House of Representative must share the lives of the citizens. The financial affairs of Senators and Congresspeople must be transparent and annually audited and the results posted on-line. They must not be exempt from any law they make in regard to privilege of office, taxes or spending cuts.