View Full Version : Freshmen already being moved to the back of the bus..
Freshmen already being moved to the back of the bus.
http://biggovernment.com/mikeflynn/2010/11/16/freshman-already-being-moved-to-the-back-of-gop-bus/
"......To be fair, it has been traditionally tough for freshmen to win slots on these committees, as these positions are highly competitive. But, this past election was anything but traditional. In any given year, there were maybe a dozen or so new members. This year, freshman members make up about one-third of the GOP caucus. Excluding them from “A” committees is a deliberate action. It requires willful action and jostling of assignments to pull it off. You have to go out of your way to ensure that one-third of a caucus is excluded from these committees. Unfortunately, the House GOP Leadership did go out of its way.........."
Some people simply refuse to read the writing on the wall. Over the course of 234 years, we have somehow allowed "serving" as an elected representative to become a source of personal financial security. We need to find a way to make it what it is supposed to be, nothing more than a person who conveys the will of the people he/she represents.
1. There should be definite term limits. Two sounds like a nice round number.
2. Serving as an elected official should not result in a retirement benefit, especially after a single term. What other job is there where you can retire with full pay after only 4 years? Do away with the retirement benefit for elected officials and we could save billions!
3. If elected representatives are allowed a special health care plan, it should be the exact health care plan the men, women and families of our military are subject to. If it is good enough for service men and women and their families; it is good enough for a bunch of congressmen.
4. http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/97-1011.pdf
The subject of pay raises needs to be addressed by stand alone legislation only, as it was done originally.
5. Elected representatives should not be allowed to exempt themselves from any law passed which would place a specific responsibility on any American citizen. If it applies to the average citizen, it applies to those who passed the bill.
6. If taxpayers are going to provide a residence or office for the representative, we already have the space at places like Ft. Belvoir, Andrews Air Force Base, Ft. Lee, Langley AFB and others in the area. They would be on a secure facility, within easy commuting distance and have access to the PX. There is no need to be in the penthouse of some high rise.
We have somehow developed our own form of aristocracy. It seems like that is one of the things our ancestors wanted to get away from in the first place.
I do not believe it really matter who or what party we vote into office, nothing is going to change until we kick the entrenched leaches to the curb. The only way I see that happening is when people quit voting based on team and their pocket books. Until we reach that point ( I doubt we ever do), we will continue to be disappointed in the results.....which amounts to a steaming pile of crap.