I want Congress to READ THE BILL

There is nothing new about these guys voting for bills that they haven't read.  Their concern is "I'll vote for this one as long as it has the amendment in it I want". 
 
If I was dictator for one hour and anything I put into place could never be changed, I have a thirteen point plan I would enact:
 
1.  Every law, rule, or regulation at any level of government must be a stand-alone item.  No amendments, riders, hidden items,...  There can be nothing in any law, rule, or regulation that does not directly relate to the title of that law, rule, or regulation.  The title of a law, rule, or regulation must directly reflect the subject of that law, rule, or regulation. 

2.  Every law, rule, or regulation at any level of government must be reviewed, at a minimum, every 20 years.  During the review any parts that need to be revised to reflect changing times will be rewritten to comply with provision #1.  Any parts that are determined to be no longer needed will be rescinded.  Each level of government has a stated period of time to complete an initial review and update process; cities, 5 years; counties, 10 years; states and federal, 40 years.  At the end of the this initial review and update period any law, rule, or regulation that has not been updated to comply with this provision will be deemed rescinded and will no longer be enforceable in any manner until such time it is properly updated.

3.  No person holding elected office at any level of government may reap the benefits of any pay raise or any increase in any compensation that goes into effect after he enters that office.  The only way he can get any increase in pay or compensation of any kind is to resign from office and remain out of office for at least one full term.  After staying out of office for at least one full term, he can run for election and if elected receive the pay and benefits that are in place at the time he returns to office.  During this absence from elected office he cannot hold any other elected office at any level of government, hold any tax paid position of any kind, be employed by any employer that is a government contractor, or act as a lobbyist.  If elected to a position, the total compensation received will at no time be greater than it was on the first day in office regardless of how long you remain in office.

4.  Contributions from businesses or individuals may only be used for campaign purposes; they may not be used for any personal expenses.  Any person running for re-election must pay for his campaign expenses with either personal funds or campaign contributions.  No tax funds will be used for campaign purposes.  Security provisions normally assigned to the office will be provided during the campaign.  Government owned or tax funded transportation will not be used for travel related to re-election unless the person pays for the entire expense of that transportation.  Travel related to security provisions will be provided by the appropriate agency.  Tax funds will not pay for time spent campaigning unless it is in the form of accrued vacation.  Time spent campaigning for re-election will be either vacation time or leave without pay.  Any day in which campaign activities are conducted will be considered a campaign day regardless how much time is devoted to the campaign activity.  Any person elected to office will be responsible for the removal of all campaign signs and posters related to that election to include those put out by his opponents.  Removal of these signs and posters must be accomplished within 30 days of the election.  The election winner may seek reimbursement for expenses related to sign and poster removal from his opponents but he remains responsible for the removal of these items regardless of the outcome of any efforts to collect.

5.  No person may receive any retirement benefits from any elected position unless the retirement benefits are the result of contributions made by that person.

6.  No person holding an elected position may benefit from any programs or benefits that are not available to the common citizen.  While the common citizen may not necessarily have access to the exact program or benefit the elected person has access to, the programs available to the common citizen must be equivalent in nature and funded in the same manner as the programs and benefits available to the elected person.  Security routinely provided to the position is exempt from this provision.

7.  No legislative body (city/county council, state legislature, US Congress, may pass any provision that applies to the common citizen but does not apply to that body.

8.  Any person holding any elected position at any level of government must resign from that position before running for election to any other elected position.  If he is not elected to the newly sought position and he desires to return to his previously held position, or any other elected position, he must remain out of office for at least one full term and can then run for election.  During this absence from elected office he cannot hold any other elected office at any level of government, hold any tax paid position of any kind, be employed by any employer that is a government contractor, or act as a lobbyist.

9.  Budgets at all levels of government must be “balanced”.  There will be no deficit spending except in the case of emergencies related to disasters or war.

10.  The judicial branch at all levels will limit their decisions to existing law and the respective constitution (state or US).  There will be no “interpretation” of the law or constitution.  The judicial branch will not make policy or create laws.  They will not find new meaning within the existing laws or respective constitution.  Violation of this provision will be justification for removal from office.

11.  No person that is in the US illegally may hold any job in this country or receive any benefits that are funded by tax funds from any level of government.  Children of persons in the US illegally will not attend tax funded schools or take part in any activities that receive tax funds from any level of government.  Persons in this country illegally will be actively sought out and deported.  Only those with verifiable medical emergencies will be allowed to remain in the country and once the emergency condition is resolved that person will be deported.

12.  No country that acts in a manner that is in conflict with our national interests will receive any tax funded assistance from this country.  This assistance includes cash, material items, or assistance from tax paid US personnel.  Persons from these countries will not be permitted to immigrate into the US.
 
13.  The above provisions apply to all government departments, agencies, offices, organizations, and activities.  They apply to all departments, agencies, offices, organizations, and activities funded with tax monies.
 
 
Harsh?
On second thought, I don't need an hour.  Give me five minutes; it would be ready to go as soon as I'm in place.

 

Man it sound like we have the wrong people in the wrong places. I think I'm just going to stop doing my job but still expect a paycheck. Oh while I'm at it I'm going to decide to give myself a raise.

John