New Rules For Congress

[Zander]

Congress is out of control. Not just the morons at the Federal level either - State legislators are wacko too. Do you realize that there were over 31,000 new laws enacted in 2010? That is 85 new laws EVERY DAY!! It is freakin' nuts!! Most of these laws are useless and are not even read by the people voting on them. To reign in this clusterfuck of incompetency, I propose the following rules go into effect IMMEDIATELY! I believe these rules will substantially cut down on the number of laws.

1) Anything that expands government needs a two-thirds supermajority.

2) To show that it’s serious, any new bill must be presented along with a member of Congress’s finger.

Please add any new rules you would like see added.

 

[Jeremy]

Congress is out of control. Not just the morons at the Federal level either - State legislators are wacko too. Do you realize that there were over 31,000 new laws enacted in 2010? That is 85 new laws EVERY DAY!! It is freakin' nuts!! Most of these laws are useless and are not even read by the people voting on them. To reign in this clusterfuck of incompetency, I propose the following rules go into effect IMMEDIATELY! I believe these rules will substantially cut down on the number of laws.

1) Anything that expands government needs a two-thirds supermajority.

2) To show that it’s serious, any new bill must be presented along with a member of Congress’s finger.

Please add any new rules you would like see added.

 

[Intense]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

Name a bill in which they have.

 

[Zander]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

I am pretty sure the Republicans already fixed that little problem when they took back the House and Senate back in 1994...

 

[Charles_Main]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

Name a bill in which they have.

Are they not able to Opt out of Social Security?

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

Name a bill in which they have.

Pre 1994, that was the norm. No wages and hours laws applied to Congress, for example. They were notorious for exempting themselves from everything.

I think this was a rule imposed by both houses in 94 that exemptions of that sort were out of order. I am not sure if Pelosi recinded that in 2007 or not, but I have not heard of any new exemptions

(BTW, when wages and hours compliance came to congress, the all hated it passionately. I remember reading lots of whiney stories at the time about what a huge imposition it was. And I laughed.)

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

Name a bill in which they have.

Are they not able to Opt out of Social Security?

No. They're not able to "opt out" of anything. Up until 1984, they were not allowed to take part in Social Security. Since then, they pay into it just like everyone else.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

what do you mean "Were not allowed to?" Under what authority was that exemption granted, and under what was it eliminated.... Did the supreme court change their mind on something, or did congress just change their own law.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

what do you mean "Were not allowed to?" Under what authority was that exemption granted, and under what was it eliminated.... Did the supreme court change their mind on something, or did congress just change their own law.

Up until 1984, I believe that no Federal employees paid into Social Security. Then Congress changed the law.

So the answer to your question is NO, Congress CANNOT opt out of Social Security. Same with the President, or any other Federal employees.

 

[editec]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

I am pretty sure the Republicans already fixed that little problem when they took back the House and Senate back in 1994...

Did they?

Could you be a tad more specific?

ARe congressmen and the POTUS now going to retire with the same social security benefits that we get?

 

[WillowTree]

Congress is out of control. Not just the morons at the Federal level either - State legislators are wacko too. Do you realize that there were over 31,000 new laws enacted in 2010? That is 85 new laws EVERY DAY!! It is freakin' nuts!! Most of these laws are useless and are not even read by the people voting on them. To reign in this clusterfuck of incompetency, I propose the following rules go into effect IMMEDIATELY! I believe these rules will substantially cut down on the number of laws.

1) Anything that expands government needs a two-thirds supermajority.

2) To show that it’s serious, any new bill must be presented along with a member of Congress’s finger.

Please add any new rules you would like see added.

I believe I heard it reported the other day than on Jan. 1, 2011 Californians woke up to over 700 new laws.

 

[Intense]

Congress should not be allowed to exempt itself from what it imposes on the rest of us.

Name a bill in which they have.

Let me rephrase that. Congress should not be allowed to exempt them, or their Family, Friend's, and Supporter's from the Legislation tThey Impose on the rest of Us.

What specifically comes to mind here, and I find this Criminal, is the Exemptions to the Health Care Bill. What percentage of currently exempted Unions and Companies Voted for this Bill, in the First Place?

 

[Baruch Menachem]

what do you mean "Were not allowed to?" Under what authority was that exemption granted, and under what was it eliminated.... Did the supreme court change their mind on something, or did congress just change their own law.

Up until 1984, I believe that no Federal employees paid into Social Security. Then Congress changed the law.

So the answer to your question is NO, Congress CANNOT opt out of Social Security. Same with the President, or any other Federal employees.

but they did prior to 1984. They changed the law from aristocratic to democratic, and they have the option to change back.

So in this instance they listened to folks and put themselves under their own laws. which is what Zander should be the standard for all legislation. And as you note in the case of Social Security, has not always been the case.

 

[Inception]

what about Paul Ryan have full power to decide the budget? if Congress can not come up with a budget, he gets the power to submit his own...