"What's good for the goose is good for the gander" is a well understood saying. There is a growing number of people out there that feel like Congress is abusing its power, making rules that apply to us but not the them, and generally being unresponsive to the people that elected them. And it seems like it doesn't matter whether you have a "D" an "R" or an "I" by your name. It seems that as soon as our somebody gets to Washington DC they succumb to corruption regardless of what they claimed they would do in during their campaign.
They are really just a reflection of those who elect them. Generally speaking, their morals are our morals. How can we expect them to behave ethically if we don't ourselves? It's a bit hypocritical, if you ask me. We expect Congress to behave ethically and decently while we cheat on our taxes, run around on our wives, and do deals under the table. It seems we all have some introspection to do if we are to achieve the ideal of selfless statesman. For example, we have to live within our means if we expect to provide for ourselves. Likewise, without strong character man is likely to behave selfishly and abuse authority.
I propose a few Constitutional Amendments to keep us safe from Congress and force them to make laws that apply to them as much as they do to us... at least until we learn how to defy human nature.
28th Amendment – Deficit Spending:
“Congress shall not approve any Federal budget resulting in a budget deficit, except in time of Congressionally declared War and for the express purpose of the defense of this Nation, or as approved by ¾ popular vote of the people. The Executive shall not approve any Federal budget resulting in a budget deficit, nor shall the Executive approve any practice that results in deficit spending, except as approved by ¾ popular vote of the people. The existence of a ‘budget deficit’ shall be determined by the Congressional Budget Office, independent of assumptions set by Congress, as well as two private accounting entities, serving in this role for more no longer than two consecutive years; and a determination of the presence of ‘deficit spending’ shall be decided by a majority of these three entities. ”
29th Amendment – Service, Compensation, and Authority Provisions:
“In keeping with the role of the Statesman as members of Congress and the Executive; recognizing that all members of the Judiciary, Legislative and Executive branches are themselves Citizens, serving at the pleasure of the People; and recognizing the tendency of Citizens elected to office to abuse positions of public service:
- Congress shall make no law that does not apply equally to all members of Congress as to the People; neither shall Congress exempt any Congressional body, entity or individual from any law that is placed on the People, except as necessary for the National Defense, as expediently determined by the Judiciary; neither shall any Congressman or Executive be exempt from any federal, state, or local law, as they apply to the General Public, except for the benefit of National Security as determined by the Judiciary; nor shall the Judiciary, including members of the Highest Court, interpret the Constitution or Law so as to exempt members of the Judiciary, under penalty of removal from a Judiciary Position by 2/3 popular vote of the people and a consecutive 2/3 vote of the Congress.
- Self-regulated remuneration of the Congress and Executive, being an incentive for perverse judgment contrary to the Public Good, shall be limited and approved by the People. Any benefits, compensation, pensions, salaries, and other remunerations resulting in monetary outlays from Federal sources, shall conform to the following precepts, and shall supersede any existing contracts, customary practices, or benefits that offset personal expenses of the members of Congress and Executive. All compensation, salary, benefits, healthcare, and any other monetary support for members of Congress and the Executive, including increases in compensation and rate of those increases, shall be approved by 2/3 popular vote of the people. Members of the Judiciary, Congress and the Executive shall not be compensated by any means other than salary and benefits as are lawful and customary for the People; neither shall any citizen, political party, private entity, or public entity independently compensate members of the Congress for their Constitutionally prescribed duties and public service. No Member of the Judiciary, Congress or Executive shall receive any pension, retirement, or any other benefit that would postdate the respective tenure of service, not withstanding self-funded retirement plans as permitted to the People, traditional funeral honors, approved protection of individual members of the Judiciary, Congressman or Executive and immediate family as a direct result of their service, or any benefit as approved by ¾ popular vote of the people. All compensation to the sitting Congress or Executive for public and private services, including for Constitutionally prescribed duties, private business, private investments, or any other compensation or benefit, shall be disclosed to the public and provided on an annual basis for the duration of the tenure of the Congressman or Executive.
- The members of Congress, Judiciary and Executive, themselves being Citizens, not shall provide for the retirement, healthcare, financial wellbeing, or physical wellbeing of their members by means not equally available to the People; neither shall they cause special benefits to accrue to their members that are not available to the People; nor shall they infringe upon the rights of the People to provide for and enjoy their individual retirement, healthcare, financial or physical wellbeing by lawful means; neither shall the same rights of the members of the Congress, Judiciary or Executive be impeded. The rules and policies of any public program designed for the Social Welfare, including any active social insurance or benefit program passed by Congress shall apply equally to every member of the Judiciary, Congress and Executive as they apply to the People. Accordingly, all prescribed contributions, distributions, elections, payments, withholdings, garnishments and benefits shall immediately apply to the sitting Congress, Judiciary and Executive, as they apply equally to the People.
- A thoughtful citizenry will seek to deter the corruption of the Public Servant, the appropriation of undesignated powers, and the perpetration of a non-representative government. To these ends, members of Congress shall serve no more than a total of twelve years in each House, either consecutively or inconsecutively. All appointed positions overseen by the Executive or Legislature, shall be approved with a specific job description by a 2/3 popular vote of the People, and all such unelected officers, agents, and appointees are limited to powers expressly granted by the Constitution to the respective branch under which they serve. Likewise, the Judiciary shall not possess, approve, oversee or otherwise create any such position or entity that is not approved by the Congress, nor shall any Branch of the Government possess, approve, oversee or create any position not known to the People. No appointee, Cabinet Member, Secretary, or other position in the Executive, not being elected by the People, shall serve past the term of the sitting President without the approval of the Congress, not to include salaried Federal employees or members of the Military. The Executive shall not create or utilize a Cabinet Position, Secretary position, or other appointed position, except as approved by 2/3 popular vote of the people and approved by a 2/3 vote in the Congress, except in a time of War as declared by Congress. The Congress shall have authority to challenge the existence of any Cabinet Position, ‘Tzar,’ Secretary, or other appointed position under the authority of the Executive, except in time of War, only in succession and once per presidential term, by calling a Public Vote of the People; and ratification of the challenged positions shall require 2/3 popular vote of the People. Furthermore, any powers granted to the Congress or Executive by the Constitution and not reserved to the States and the People, shall not be exercised by a Cabinet Position, Secretary, or other appointed position of the Executive; neither shall any previously ascribed duties or powers be usurped by these positions by any means, either directly or indirectly and to include semantic devices.”
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