POLITICAL CORRUPTION IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE AFFECTING ALL OF US. ALABAMA RANKS #5 AS THE MOST CORRUPT STATE. *DOJ 2007 stats
Something is very wrong in the Land of Cotton


PERTINENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND CORRUPTION ISSUES IN OTHER STATES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED


NO OTHER COMMUNITY, RICH OR POOR, URBAN OR SUBURBAN,BLACK, BROWN,RED, YELLOW OR WHITE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BECOME AN "ENVIRONMENTAL SACRIFICE ZONE."

Dr. Robert Bullard
Environmental Justice Movement Founder

Friday, September 16, 2011

The Atlantic--Readers Sound-off On Fixing Congress


In the October 2011 issue of The Atlantic readers responded to former Congressman Mickey Edward's article from the July/August edition entitled "How to Turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans" with their own ideas of "keeping Congress members honest and closer to the people they represent."

Judging from the list, the people are on the right track and show more sense about governmental reform and fairness than any politician, on the national or state level, is remotely capable of.

Members of Congress should:
  • No longer make laws that do not apply to themselves.
  • Have a pension plan that matches other federal pension plans.
  • Participate in Social Security and the same health care systems as the rest of America.
  • Be bound by a non-compete law: upon leaving office, they can't work (or lobby) for any entity interacting with Congress or earn money by dealing with laws and rules they passed.
  • Be required to live in Washington for at least half of each week.
  • Create an independent Office of Truth, charged with reviewing their statements and pointing out inaccuracies large and small.
  • Lengthen terms, but serve only one term.
  • Institute a salary cap for candidates.
  • Eliminate corporate donations to candidates.
  • Decouple committee chairmanships from seniority.
We would like to add a few more to this stellar list:
  • Require all Congress members to post their in office meeting schedules and office visitor lists online weekly.
  • No lobbyists allowed in the Congress building during voting on any legislative matters.
  • All Congressional members shall refrain from using their blackberries or any other electronic communication device during floor votes.
If these things could come to pass just maybe we could all imagine a brave new world couldn't we?
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11 comments:

  1. I like it!
    Very salient points which is why none of them will ever happen.

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  2. Get the friggin' lobbyists out of politics and then we'll see some change we can believe in people!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. Let's make one for Alabama:
    NO FORMER GOVERNORS ARE ALLOWED TO BECOME LOBBYISTS IN ALABAMA.
    And that means you Robert Renfroe Riley.

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  4. You mean Bob Capone Riley don't you?
    If Don Siegleman had done this the press and Mike Hubbard and his republican henchmen would crucify him. Oh wait, they already did didn't they?
    I love these suggestions for Congress and it proves, much to chagrin of some southerners, that our northern counterparts are smarter than some of us give them credit for.
    I propose we craft these suggestions to fit state houses all across the US.
    Why just apply it to Washington?

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  5. Love it. Let's watch how few people we would have putting their hat in the political ring in Alabama if it meant they had term limits and the same retirement/society security as the common citizen.

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  6. It's a well-worn phrase but still appropriate; crooks and liars the whole lot of them.

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  7. I don't see any drawing and quartering listed as a penalty for malfeasance of public service.
    Can we add that please?

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  8. Alabama politics--walk into office a nothing much and walk out a millionaire.

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  9. They say, we have the best and brightest.

    Makes me wonder if they believe (deep down inside) these are the smartest corrupt politicians money can buy.

    This is Alabama, after all.

    Lobbyists remind me of prostitutes.

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  10. That list is better than the 10 Commandments.
    Office of the Truth gets my vote for the top spot. Add some penalties to it though.

    ReplyDelete

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