The First Thing I Would Cut!

[dmcoco84 4]

Benjamin Franklin said:

There are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money. Separately each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men a post of honour that shall at the same time be a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it.

The vast number of such places it is that renders the British Government so tempestuous. The struggles for them are the true sources of all those factions which are perpetually dividing the Nation, distracting its councils, hurrying sometimes into fruitless & mischievous wars, and often compelling a submission to dishonorable terms of peace.


So, in basic terms: Places of office must never be places of profit... for, only corruption and tyranny will breed.

The first thing I would cut is congressional compensation. Pensions: GONE! A pension, give me a break! Why do you deserve a pension and lifetime healthcare? How about a CUT, and some term limits? Just wait until we talk about George Washington. A true man of Honor.

Maybe... Maybe! 50K a year. My honest opinion... ZERO. You should be serving for the greater good of our nation, for the American people... as Franklin would, as many of our Founders did. And if they had to go back home and make a living, as our Founders also did, they sure wouldn’t want to waste much time, ey?

And the next stages will take some work... PERKS.

[doughboyshred 0]

so only wealthy people should be able to serve as politicians?

Besides the real money is in the influence they peddle, not the salary or the perks.

If you want to attack corruption the real solution is to remove the influence of corporations and special interests. NO politician or political party should be able to accept any monies from any group. All political campaigns should be publicly funded with a set limit equal for all viable candidates running for an office.

[lost_n_confuzd 0]

They fall under the same federal retirement plan as other federal employees. Just because they serve a term does not grant them a pension and lifetime healthcare.

[jakee 1,254]

Quote

Maybe... Maybe! 50K a year. My honest opinion... ZERO. You should be serving for the greater good of our nation, for the American people... as Franklin would, as many of our Founders did. And if they had to go back home and make a living, as our Founders also did, they sure wouldn’t want to waste much time, ey?

But they wouldn't actually need to work, would they?

Plenty of non-executive director spots available on the boards of whatever companies want to buy a little influence.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[billvon 2,396]

>The first thing I would cut is congressional compensation. Pensions: GONE!
> Maybe! 50K a year. My honest opinion... ZERO.

Savings: so close to zero as to be ignorable.

Results: only the wealthy or corrupt become politicians. Not so much different than what we have now, just a little more so.

This is an example of a feel-good do-nothing approach to change. I believe Stephen Colbert calls it "truthiness" - something that isn't true but FEELS like it should be.

[rushmc 18]

Here are some good suggestions

http://heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/10/How-to-Cut-343-Billion-from-the-Federal-Budget

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln