Recommendations for reforming the U.S. Congress:
1. Limit terms to 12 years, either two six-year senate terms, six two-year house terms, or one six year senate term and three two-year house terms.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
2. Provide no tenure/no pension. Members of Congress collect a salary while in office but receive no pay when they are out of office.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
3. Congress (past, present and future) participates in Social Security: All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system;
Congress participates with the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work .
4. Congress purchases its own retirement plan just as all Americans do.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
5. Congress no longer votes itself pay raises. Congressional pay rises by the lower of CPI or 3 percent.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
6. Congress drops its current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work .
7. Congress equally abides in all laws it imposes on the American people.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
8. Congress voids all contracts with past and present congressmen, effective 1/1/11. The American people did not make these contract with members of congress, the members made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, who would serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
These recommendations could just as easily apply to our local legislature, substituting the “people of the CNMI,” “the signers of the CNMI Constitution,” and “the NMI Retirement Fund” where appropriate.
The list doesn’t address a lot of other ills, like the “earmarking” and the huge allowances members of both the national congress and local congress are given, but it would be a start toward the much-needed reform at both levels!
RUTH L. TIGHE
Tanapag, Saipan
