Punt term limits; eliminate the perks!

Heard recently on a morning radio talk show in Kansas City, ‘…I’ve only been in office 14 years …’ Isn’t that the crux of our challenges with a non-responsive, non-representative and irresponsible Federal government?

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Whenever there is unrest amongst the electorate, isn’t term limits the leading, knee-jerk solution for non-responsive, non-representative, and irresponsible government? Isn’t there a better solution? Shouldn’t we just remove all of the perks and exemptions that make hibernating in elective office much less attractive? Why is it that elected Federal ‘officials’ get to stack the deck for their re-elections and overall quality of life when they are supposed to be representing the citizens of the United States? Something appears to change many, if not most, of those who are elected once they cross the American Rubicon, the Potomac, at the Federal level (and enter the chambers of office at the state, county and city levels of government) to conduct the ‘business of the people.’ Over time, it is as if a ‘bunker mentality’ emerges, separating those elected to serve from those they have sworn to serve. The longer a person is in office and a beneficiary of the perks and exemptions of office, the more detached they are likely to become! Let’s review some of the more reprehensible perks that those in the ‘American Royalty’ enjoy at the expense of the American citizens and taxpayers:

• Access to health insurance from over 300 private companies that is NOT single-payer, centralized or government-run health-care and exempting themselves from the regime’s stealth-care legislation being forced upon the citizens of the United States of America
• Ability to vote their own pay raises while having the ability to limit the COLAs for ‘entitlement’ programs and military personnel
• Franking privileges that provide those in elected office with an unfair advantage against any challengers
• The ability of retaining political contributions beyond one election, allowing these lifetime political barracudas to amass a war-chest for future candidacies for political office, or for personal use once they finally decide to resign from office, further separating them from the masses
• Holding special, investigative panels, attempting to hold corporate leaders to levels of citizenship, ethics and legality for which many in elective office fail to live up to
• Double-dipping of retirement programs while in office
• Exemptions from much of the legislation forced upon the rest of the citizens of the United States of America
• Becoming lobbyists and gaming the system for personal gain at the expense of the American taxpayer

Doesn’t the lack of significant turnover within Congress lead to a stagnation of innovative and effective legislation? Could it be that those in office suffer from a sense of guilt for their detached life of privilege? Is that what leads some in office to attempt to legislate their utopia for others? Doesn’t that utopia come at a very heavy price, through inane and onerous taxes, regulations, and social policies that actually inhibit individual self-actualization and growth? Aren’t these policies an affront to our Maker, to whom we owe our unique blessings? And people wonder why we are suffering heavy financial problems and health issues, i.e., aids, etc.! Don’t we have real challenges when we have legislators who are more loyal to special interest groups with selfish &/or vindictive agendas (ACORN, the NEA, SEIU, the unenlightened despots of the Bilderberg Group, etc.) than they have to those they have sworn an oath to represent?

Once legislators are voting with their own money and legal rights, won’t that affect their legislation?

Once legislators are voting with their own money and legal rights, won’t that affect their legislation? Once the perks of office are reduced or rescinded, won’t the allure of office dissipate for many legislators who relish elitism? Weren’t the authors of our independence revolting against the heavy-handed royalty of the King of England? Let’s seek fair and permanent solutions to a system of government that was never intended to serve as a gateway to imperious royalty. Put your Senators and Representative on notice that their life of luxury at the expense of the governed is no longer acceptable!