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08 Apr 10 - 04:18 AM (#2881932) Subject: BS: The time has come From: GUEST,kendall What do you think of this? An idea whose time has come For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come. Have each person contact a minimum of Twenty people on their Address list, 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 proposal that really should be passed around. Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States." |
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08 Apr 10 - 05:57 AM (#2881967) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: Nigel Parsons Have each person contact a minimum of Twenty people on their Address list, in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message Unfortunately, as with most 'chain letters' & 'Viral messages', before this reaches the majority of people there will be some who have been bombarded with the same piece of spam from multiple sources. |
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08 Apr 10 - 06:02 AM (#2881969) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: The Fooles Troupe It's a good idea. |
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08 Apr 10 - 06:03 AM (#2881971) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: Nigel Parsons Sorry, I should have said, apart from the email bit, it's a good idea. The UK could do with a similar move! Cheers Nigel |
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08 Apr 10 - 06:05 AM (#2881976) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: gnu Doesn't sound like spam to me. If I was a yank, I'd send it to everyone I could. Kendall... any way to get the past "laws" repealed? I wonder if Obama would forward it? |
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08 Apr 10 - 07:39 AM (#2882016) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: GUEST,kendall We have the power to clean out congress, but we won't do it. It's that old saying, "Sure he's a rascal, but he's our rascal" I sent it to both of our senators and my rep. to the house. |
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08 Apr 10 - 08:23 AM (#2882041) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: Leadfingers Wasnt it Al Capone who said "The definition of an Honest Politician is one who STAYS bought ? |
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08 Apr 10 - 10:14 AM (#2882106) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: Bill D Often attributed to Simon Cameron, but also to Abe Lincoln, H.L. Mencken and others. Somehow, if you & I were elected to Congress, I suspect the question would be harder to answer. |
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08 Apr 10 - 10:41 AM (#2882122) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: artbrooks The problem with this, as with many viral emails, is that the basic premise just isn't true. Members of Congress can retire with the same pay after only one term: no, their retirement is based on the number of years they serve, just like any other Federal employee. They don't pay into Social Security: untrue - they have paid into Social Security since Federal employees were folded into that program in 1984. They specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws: there might be a law or two out there that Congress is exempt from, like parking restrictions in downtown DC, but nothing significant, and certainly not Federal laws about sexual discrimination and/or harassment. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered: not so, although an amendment to the final fix-up apparently (accidentally) exempted some Congressional staffers. FactCheck.org debunked this about four months ago, although some of it is much older. |
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08 Apr 10 - 11:26 AM (#2882145) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: Bill D Here's a long analysis by PolitiFact on the subject. They conclude that it IS sorta true...with the caveat, "It would have been more accurate to say that the language "may exempt" some staffers." |
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09 Apr 10 - 05:47 AM (#2882678) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come From: The Fooles Troupe Wait on, doesn't the Constitution talk about 'all created equal' already? So how can exemptions be made - with a few minor exceptions for parking etc. |
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09 Apr 10 - 02:02 PM (#2883000) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: Uncle_DaveO Wait on, doesn't the Constitution talk about 'all created equal' already? Not the Constitution, I don't think, but the Declaration of Independence says that, in slightly different words. BUT! The meaning of that "We hold these truths to be self-evident" *** "all men are created equal" language is a philosophical statement, not a matter of the mechanics of government. Wherever it's found, it means, in effect, "all men are equal in the sight of God" or "all men are equal in essential worth" or "all equal in inherent dignity". It may be seen as the theoretical underpinnings of egalitarian law, but is in no way binding, by itself, on the executive branch or legislature or government officials. That philosophical statement, to have a real-world meaning, must be (and should be) embodied in unequivocal statutory language. Dave Oesterreich |
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09 Apr 10 - 02:14 PM (#2883009) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: artbrooks Please note that the OP is apparently in error - the exemptions from the law do not exist. |
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09 Apr 10 - 03:05 PM (#2883039) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: Bobert Shoot, Capt'n, that's a fine idea... But if we're goin' to go thru the trouble of a new ammenment then might as well outlaw the fillibuster in it as well... And, oh yeah... Ban buttheads, too... And legalize pot... And take away any Congressperson's pay if they announce before a bill is even written that they are going to vote aginst it... How about banjo's, too... No, we can't do that but we might be able to restrict banjo playing to banjo zones in Utah and Wyoming... Yeah, thems is all good ad-ons to the ammendment... B~ |
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09 Apr 10 - 03:11 PM (#2883047) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Three-quarters of the States must ratify an amendment passed by Congress before it becomes law. Amendment to outlaw the banjo- It wouldn't be difficult........ |
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09 Apr 10 - 04:13 PM (#2883098) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: SINSULL Check Snopes guys. These accusations started in Canada re: Canadian government and have been accomodated to US government. A fact check shows that most of Kendall's original post is either not true or not entirely true. This "info" has been going around the net for years and just re-surfaced. I got it from two different sources last week. |
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09 Apr 10 - 04:14 PM (#2883100) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: SINSULL Start here: http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/pensions.asp |
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09 Apr 10 - 04:22 PM (#2883109) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: gnu Here in Canuckistan, MPs can retire at full and immediate pension after 6 six years. My MP announced his retirement late last year, effective shortly after serving six years. It's like clockwork. Nice work if you can screw enough people and still sleep at night. |
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09 Apr 10 - 04:30 PM (#2883115) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: SINSULL HMMMMM.....oh...you mean that figuratively. |
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09 Apr 10 - 04:42 PM (#2883126) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: olddude What we really need is good decent people to vote the creeps out and elect good decent people. Problem is, most good decent people don't have the machine and the money behind them to run ... it just sucks. It is a good idea Kendall, they will all ignore it even if they get it but at least your voice gets heard ... it is a good idea I think |
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09 Apr 10 - 07:16 PM (#2883250) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: SINSULL Term Limits for all offices. The president has a term limit, why not the the corrupt monsters who inhabit the Senate and the House? |
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09 Apr 10 - 07:42 PM (#2883277) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: kendall Regardless of the veracity of the post, I say, kick them all out anyway |
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09 Apr 10 - 07:59 PM (#2883293) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: Bill D Term limits, as I have said before, would get rid of Henry Waxman & Barney Frank and a host of others who are our main defense against certain abuses. There MUST be some way to maintain a competency level when the situation is so complex. Hey...how about competency exams for candidates? I'd vote for that! |
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09 Apr 10 - 08:22 PM (#2883313) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: Q (Frank Staplin) I'll prepare the competency exams- |
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09 Apr 10 - 09:41 PM (#2883375) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity Got one of those about two months ago. Great idea...however, one more thing to regard, and that is, that it might be an incentive to be corrupt as fast as you can, while the gettin' is good. Also, they need to have the SAME health care applied to them, that they just voted in for us! Also, stiffer penalties for corruption, when they would NOT represent their constituents, over 'special interests' (read: bribery)...even from the executive branch!!!! GfS |
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09 Apr 10 - 09:46 PM (#2883378) Subject: RE: BS: The time has come (proposed amendment) From: artbrooks The same health care IS applied to them. They have all of the rights that any other citizen has. Why should the rights of Congresscritters be restricted? |