A first time congressperson or senator — no such thing as entry level — receives the same pay together with fringes, as one with thirty years of service. Now that’s entitlement.

To keep under control the arrogance of power and greed I hereby propose Draconian bylaws.

         Starting salary for congresspersons will be two-thirds the going rate. If reelected [considered tenure] he/she is entitled to full scale. First time senators will receive for the first three years the same two-third scale.

         Any incumbent executive or legislator campaigning for the presidency or re-election thereof, his/her salary be docked per-diem during the time of election rounds.

         Incumbent senators and congressmen up for reelection should also be docked per-diem while campaigning.

         Any member of Congress on a junket tour will be docked per-diem for the length of the trip — legitimate tours regarding troop visits and inspection tours excepted.

         There be a national referendum on No Law Left Behind Act to systematize salary based on performance and attendance.

         There be electronic voting in the Senate similar to the House, and until in effect Senators will pay five dollars for every minute of delay during roll call and voting.

         Except in cases of national security, C-span is to be admitted to all cabinet meetings and closed sessions of congress. Failing to comply will result in a fine of one percent of each member’s annual salary for each infraction.

         Except in emergencies AirForce I & II shall not be utilized no more than six times a year. And under no circumstances used for campaigning or fund-raising unless the entire cost of flights is defrayed by the party in power.

         All cost of limousines at any level of government is to be a personal expense, except the official presidential car.

         All branches of government, except low-level federal employees, must forgo their health care benefits until every citizen is awarded the same.

         On any level, any time spent with lobbyists, unless evidenced as perfectly legitimate constituency needs, a $10,000 will be levied for each offense.

         There will be a salary freeze when Congress breaks for holidays exceeding five days unless rock-solid documentation is submitted that there were days in which work was performed on behalf of constituency concerns.

         Any travel to their constituent base for the purpose of political business will not be reimburse but congresspersons and senators have the right to deduct it on the appropriate travel expense form of their tax return.

         Presidential vacations will not exceed three weeks per year.

         Post Bush II: No longer will presidential libraries exceed three million dollars in donations. The bulk of presidential papers will be archived in the Library of Congress. [These elaborate monuments send the wrong democratic and moral message to the world and here at home.]

         High level members of all branches, including the judicial, will be fined $50 each time they fail to make their own coffee at least once a week.

         Staff members and pages in all branches are to form a local union or at least a strong association with bylaws and well-defined job-descriptions to protect them from unscrupulous exploitation.

         Congressman residing in D.C. and outskirts must use public transportation, car-pool, or drive hybrid cars to the Capitol.

         Presidential caravans shall consist of one limousine and one SUV, the balance will consist of American made economy cars.[Unless the president defrays the added cost.]

         Town meetings must be held twice a year by the president and four times a year for Congress.

And clearly self interest lobbying by individual, religious, corporate, and union is hereby outlawed. [by self interest is meant lobbying for that which has no patent value to the nation; an example would be a union lobbying for a law that would increase minimum wage to $20 an hour; an example of a selfless interest would be Bill Gates lobbying for matching, or a percentage of, his donations to public high-tech schools]

Copyright © 2005 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: December 13, 2005.

http://stevendedalus.joeuser.com