To: The California State House, The California State Senate, and Governor Gavin Newsom
The Real Congressional Reform Act of 2013
Let's create The 28th Amendment to The Constitution without congressional approval. Pressure your state's Governor and legislature to ratify this new amendment through a constitutional convention, so that we can bypass Congress and finally experience what true equality means in America!
I've created this one for the State of California. I implore someone from each of the other 49 states to cut and paste and do the same! If we get enough momentum, any legislator or Governor who ignores this petition or tries to deflect it, should not find a seat in the upcoming term!
I've created this one for the State of California. I implore someone from each of the other 49 states to cut and paste and do the same! If we get enough momentum, any legislator or Governor who ignores this petition or tries to deflect it, should not find a seat in the upcoming term!
Why is this important?
There have been different versions of the idea of a 28th Amendment floating around the internet since the last government shutdown in 1996 (I can't take credit for all the text here, but some of it). Somehow we become complacent and end up doing nothing about it. This last shutdown just serves as another example of how "we the people" are the furthest things from the minds of our representatives.
Let's take the power back by creating a very specific amendment to the constitution that gets ratified by the states and doesn't need congressional approval. This has NEVER been done before, so let's make it happen for the 1st time! This is America after all - as Lincoln said: a "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
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. The Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in options provided by The Affordable Care Act.
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 12/31/13.
Congressmen/women 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.
Let's take the power back by creating a very specific amendment to the constitution that gets ratified by the states and doesn't need congressional approval. This has NEVER been done before, so let's make it happen for the 1st time! This is America after all - as Lincoln said: a "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
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. The Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in options provided by The Affordable Care Act.
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 12/31/13.
Congressmen/women 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.