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The Founding Fathers vision of a “citizen’s legislature” vanishes when the process of reelection enters the picture

Plans for Congress Term Limits Must Be Kept Short and Tight



How many times over the years have you seen one group or another with a proposal to get Term Limits for Congress enacted? I’d say there were more of those than suggestions for Obama’s Impeachment which should be a slam-dunk. Well, more or not, this one initiated by Americans for Constitutional Liberty is the latest one to cross my desk and while I would like to see a realistic one put out there for a change. All the ones I have seen just don’t cut the mustard and actually just won’t work; not because they’re not deserved, but they just don’t go to the heart of the matter. Most are presented by a person or group that are too timid and hesitant to go for the bull’s eye. This latest one that I comment on below is that way.
Term Limits is a weapon that should be used to stop congressional spending which always ends up by creating bigger governments, more taxes and ever-mounting debt that punishes our children and perhaps even drives more nails into the country’s coffin. But instead of getting to the heart of the matter most proposals nibble at the edges and leave matters almost as bad as they found them. No one seems willing to jump on the wagon and drive it home with a workable goal. I have been preaching for several years that we need to stop legislative robbery. I'm talking about how we get novice politicos that come to Washington almost penniless and in a very few short years they are filing tax returns in the millions of dollars. How’d they do that on a salary of $174.K per year? They keep telling us they need another pay raise to meet expenses. HUH? Where’d all that “other” money come from? Most proposals call for two terms and out. For Reps. that ‘might’ work, but with Senators where the money problems seen greatest (along with the personal riches) two terms IS TWELVE YEARS! It doesn’t take twelve years to learn how to skim and shuck and jive. All the tricks can be learned in much less than four years. Because the key word that triggers huge money manipulations is REELECTION. When money is needed for reelection – beware. Do away with reelection and watch money problems disappear. It’s not simple and it could get complicated, but trying to get to the Founding Fathers “citizen legislature” could work. Read what I suggest below. But all those “at the trough” will raise a ruckus at sharply high levels. I’m not holding my breath waiting though.

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Americans for Constitutional Liberty ATTN: Peter J. Thomas, Chairman I am responding to your mailing of a “Citizens Petition To Congress” concerning a Constitutional Amendment on Congress’ Term Limits. Your overall objectives are laudable but “the devil is in the details.” I submit that your plan to amend the U. S. Constitution is necessary, while also being its most damaging to ultimate success. To allow more than one term for any Congressional Office holder is contrary to good order and fosters a continuation of a wealthy ruling class. Corruption, theft and disorder begin with “Reelection”. The Founding Fathers vision of a “citizen’s legislature” vanishes when the process of reelection enters the picture as that vision was intended to be one of a volunteer term and then back to the farm, store or other business. Reelection causes the individual’s quest for funds to lead to irregular and illegal means to divert taxpayer dollars to personal channels to get reelected and often making the lawmaker a lawbreaker. The ONLY remedy for preventing this revision of funds usage is to not have reelections; meaning one term only. Your proposal to amend the Constitution requiring U. S. Representatives to leave the House after serving a maximum of “three two-year terms” while U. S. Senators would leave the Senate after a maximum of two six-year terms. That proposal of very uneven maximums would be unfair to the House volunteers by exactly fifty percent less service and I believe a failing proposition. I also believe that the Representatives who finish up in six years, would probably volunteer to fill the second six year term of some of the Senators who would prefer to leave after six years. This very uneven distribution of time to serve between the two Congress units will more than likely be argued for a balance in both Congress units. This problem could be remedied before the first amendment is proposed to call for a balance of time for both Representatives and Senators having alike terms of three or four years for both. And the amendment should also state that ONLY one term for each Representative and Senator to be filled and then out. Also with a provision that a lapse of eight years must pass before the same person can serve again. If the obscene current salary is scrapped from its current $174,000 annual level to a daily fee, payable only if more than a set number of hours present is maintained, a great savings from current high levels would be realized. The one term provision should not have any retirement privileges in the monetary package, consisting only in actual “needs” reimbursements are involved. Great savings to America’s tax-paying citizens can be realized if the above is fairly adopted.


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Jerry McConnell -- Bio and Archives

Gerald A. “Jerry” McConnell, 92, of Hampton, died Sunday, February 19, 2017, at the Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill, Mass., surrounded by his loved ones. He was born May 27, 1924 in Altoona, Pa., the fifth son of the late John E. and Grace (Fletcher) McConnell.

Jerry served ten years with the US Marine Corps and participated in the landing against Japanese Army on Guadalcanal and another ten years with the US Air Force. After moving to Hampton in 1957 he started his community activities serving in many capacities.

 

He shared 72 years of marriage with his wife Betty P. (Hamilton) McConnell. In addition to his wife, family members include nieces and nephews.

 

McConnell’s e-book about Guadalcanal, “Our Survival was Open to the Gravest Doubts

 


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