Gary's Sharebook 

Congress is totally dysfunctional. I've gotten this email from several people. Maybe we can create some sort of groundswell.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 of 12 years max. Some possible options: A. Two 6-year Senate terms B. Six 2-year House terms - (I PREFER 3/ 4YR. TERM C. One 6-year Senate term and three 2-year House terms 2. No Tenure / No Pension Members of Congress receive a salary while in office, and 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 immediately move to the Social Security system. All future funds flow into the Social Security system and Congress members participates with all Americans. 4. Congress members can purchase their own retirement plans. Members of Congress will have the same limited options that middle-class American people have. 5. Congress members will no longer vote themselves pay raises. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 6. Congress members lose their current health care coverage. Congress members will participate in the same health care coverage options as do middle-class American people. 7. Members of Congress must equally abide by all laws that they impose on the American people. 8. All employment contracts with past and present members of Congress are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make the employment contract that 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 who receives this email 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. A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT COULD BE THE WAY TO FIX CONGRESS ! ! ! ! ! If you agree with the above, please pass it on.