Re: Obama XXIII: The Muslin Anti-Christ Wages War on the forces of Christianity!
I make a distinction between "long-term representative" and "career" politician. I don't mind having the same person represent a district for decades if the people keep voting her in.
I do think that our representatives overall have been way way way too generous in using our money to make a comfortable lifestyle for themselves. I do not think any legislator should have a defined benefit pension, for example; and I don't think service in any legislature should be a full-time job either. I would much prefer to see it like another form of jury duty; a concerned citizen's obligation to the greater good.
I'd set legislative pay as a per diem and not a fixed salary. When a person is first elected, s/he produces W2, Schedule C, whatever the source of their earned income, and that becomes their baseline (which they can then update if they get a promotion or new non-governmental job), then they get pro rata pay for each day the legislature is in session. Our "best" minds don't have to take a pay cut, our "passionate" advocates wouldn't be so easily distracted by the prospect of personal material gain. You merely are paid whatever you would have been paid anyway, it's completely neutral (and out of their hands...no more f^cking us over while voting themselves another pay raise in the process). No reason they couldn't have a 403b like any other employee, even allow a reasonable and customary employer match....just not such a fine guaranteed pension after just a few years of so-called "service."
We already have so many inconsistent if not outright contradictory laws on the books; rather than pass new laws, editing and consolidating existing laws should be a much higher priority. Using clear direct plain English also is extremely desirable!!
I make a distinction between "long-term representative" and "career" politician. I don't mind having the same person represent a district for decades if the people keep voting her in.
I do think that our representatives overall have been way way way too generous in using our money to make a comfortable lifestyle for themselves. I do not think any legislator should have a defined benefit pension, for example; and I don't think service in any legislature should be a full-time job either. I would much prefer to see it like another form of jury duty; a concerned citizen's obligation to the greater good.
I'd set legislative pay as a per diem and not a fixed salary. When a person is first elected, s/he produces W2, Schedule C, whatever the source of their earned income, and that becomes their baseline (which they can then update if they get a promotion or new non-governmental job), then they get pro rata pay for each day the legislature is in session. Our "best" minds don't have to take a pay cut, our "passionate" advocates wouldn't be so easily distracted by the prospect of personal material gain. You merely are paid whatever you would have been paid anyway, it's completely neutral (and out of their hands...no more f^cking us over while voting themselves another pay raise in the process). No reason they couldn't have a 403b like any other employee, even allow a reasonable and customary employer match....just not such a fine guaranteed pension after just a few years of so-called "service."
We already have so many inconsistent if not outright contradictory laws on the books; rather than pass new laws, editing and consolidating existing laws should be a much higher priority. Using clear direct plain English also is extremely desirable!!
