How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

[Sunshine]

Seriously. We all have our one vote, IF we choose to use it. Only en masse will votes truly count. So, it takes a heft number of people seeing things you way for you to actually get your way. We are always hearing, 'vote the suckers out.' Ok. So........?
Not everyone in congress has it as a goal to stay there for a lifetime. Some have a special agenda and that is what they go after. The threat of voting those people out will have no effect. And then there's Rand Paul who was surprised as hell that he won.

Now, consider this: How many of you would WANT to be in congress at this red hot minute? I wouldn't. So what would happen if they all just got up, went home, and didn't return? I mean, I can feel the gut wrenching going on, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that happened with at least a few of them.

 

[spectrumc01]

I would love to be there taking part in this debate. Unfortunately due to government policies over the last twenty years I've been kept too busy working and fighting wars to participate in anything but survival for myself and family.

 

[shintao]

How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

Absolutely zero. Money is power, and they have the power and the will to do as they wish.

 

[Sunshine]

Taxation without representation? But we have representatives. Who do they represent? Us? Someone else?

Should they vote their conscience? I had a government teacher lo so many years ago who said he thought they should vote their conscience rather than the will of their constituents.

 

[Valerie]

I got this e-mail the other day...

From:
Date: July 24, 2011 350 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Fwd: READ AND PASS ON Are you fed up with congress yet?







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 computer, before e-mail, before 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.

I'm asking you to forward this e-mail to a minimum of twenty people; in turn, ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.


Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits
12 years max, some possible options are below.
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension
Members of Congress receive a salary while in office,
that salary ends when they leave office.

3. Congress members (past, present & future) are to participate 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 all Americans.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan,
just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system
and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Members of Congress must equally abide by all laws
they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present members of Congress are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make the contract members of Congress enjoy,
Congress 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.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, then it will only take three days for most people
(in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS ! ! ! ! !

 

[Oddball]

How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

All the power.

Think tax revolt.

 

[Sunshine]

I got this e-mail the other day...

From:
Date: July 24, 2011 350 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Fwd: READ AND PASS ON Are you fed up with congress yet?







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 computer, before e-mail, before 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.

I'm asking you to forward this e-mail to a minimum of twenty people; in turn, ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.


Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits
12 years max, some possible options are below.
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension
Members of Congress receive a salary while in office,
that salary ends when they leave office.

3. Congress members (past, present & future) are to participate 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 all Americans.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan,
just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system
and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Members of Congress must equally abide by all laws
they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present members of Congress are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make the contract members of Congress enjoy,
Congress 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.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, then it will only take three days for most people
(in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS ! ! ! ! !

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS ! ! ! ! !

But Congressme are the only ones who get to vote on their pay and benefitsw. We can grouse and grumble and write until we turn blue. Until THEY decide to change things, they will not be changed.

 

[Sunshine]

How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

All the power.

Think tax revolt.

Think prison!

 

[spectrumc01]

Not tax revolt...
Not prison...

How about revolution ? (hopefully peaceful, but...)

 

[SFC Ollie]

We the individual have no power. As one who has tried to get congress to react to a problem I can promise you that.

We the people only have power if we the people speak out in a loud voice. Constantly and in every way we can. Of course that voice has to be saying the same thing from thousands of different sources.

I am Currently writing a resolution to submit to the American Legion National Conference for presentation to congress. Maybe with that many voices it will get heard.

 

[Sunshine]

Not tax revolt...
Not prison...

How about revolution ? (hopefully peaceful, but...)

I think it was Niccolò Machiavelli who said something to the effect that a government is only as good as its ability to enforce its own laws.

I really thing our government would squash a 'revolution' like a bug. It has the power.

 

[Sunshine]

We the individual have no power. As one who has tried to get congress to react to a problem I can promise you that.

We the people only have power if we the people speak out in a loud voice. Constantly and in every way we can. Of course that voice has to be saying the same thing from thousands of different sources.

I am Currently writing a resolution to submit to the American Legion National Conference for presentation to congress. Maybe with that many voices it will get heard.

I don't think they are listening:

 

[SFC Ollie]

Truth is I emailed my congressman and both Senators 3 weeks ago and one of the Senators had a staffer call me today. I was shocked.

 

[Sunshine]

Truth is I emailed my congressman and both Senators 3 weeks ago and one of the Senators had a staffer call me today. I was shocked.

I have received responses to two letters I sent. One response actually tracked the letter I had written. The other looked like a form letter and did not hit on any issue I raised. Not one.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Truth is I emailed my congressman and both Senators 3 weeks ago and one of the Senators had a staffer call me today. I was shocked.

I have received responses to two letters I sent. One response actually tracked the letter I had written. The other looked like a form letter and did not hit on any issue I raised. Not one.

Yep, that's what i normally get is form letters. that's why the phone call was so surprising.

 

[Sunshine]

Truth is I emailed my congressman and both Senators 3 weeks ago and one of the Senators had a staffer call me today. I was shocked.

I have received responses to two letters I sent. One response actually tracked the letter I had written. The other looked like a form letter and did not hit on any issue I raised. Not one.

Yep, that's what i normally get is form letters. that's why the phone call was so surprising.

Interesting aside: Did you know that many of those staffers are law students or baby lawyers who serve as consultants to the congressmen who are not themselves lawyers?

 

[Kiki Cannoli]

'Tis unfortunate that serving the people is no longer the core value. They are professional job seekers, nothing more. There is a sense of entitlement and 'i know better' rather than what could/should I be doing for those I represent.

Special interests, partisanship and salary ladders and job security determine Congresspeoples' actions. I have not felt represented in years.

Makes me sad actually because I was once a starry eye "American" who believed that when it came down to it, we are awesome. Now, not so much. Perhaps maturity and critical thinking are now stronger influences in my assessment, but aside from that reality I have a difficult time believing that anybody in D.C. truly wants what is better for the masses.

 

[Sunshine]

'Tis unfortunate that serving the people is no longer the core value. They are professional job seekers, nothing more. There is a sense of entitlement and 'i know better' rather than what could/should I be doing for those I represent.

Special interests, partisanship and salary ladders and job security determine Congresspeoples' actions. I have not felt represented in years.

Makes me sad actually because I was once a starry eye "American" who believed that when it came down to it, we are awesome. Now, not so much. Perhaps maturity and critical thinking are now stronger influences in my assessment, but aside from that reality I have a difficult time believing that anybody in D.C. truly wants what is better for the masses.

I seriously don't believe anything going on now is new. I just think that there are more educated and politically aware people to see it.

Evidence by this old cartoon of Thomas Jefferson:

 

[Oddball]

How much real power do citizens have over Congress?

All the power.

Think tax revolt.

Think prison!

There ain't enough room in the prisons for the prisoners right now.

Fuck 'em....Drop out.

 

[Sunshine]

All the power.

Think tax revolt.

Think prison!

There ain't enough room in the prisons for the prisoners right now.

Fuck 'em....Drop out.

I've worked as an NP in prisons. They would FIND the room.