I'd Vote for This in a New York Minute

I received an interesting email a day or two ago, and it's worth printing in its entirety:

WHY WAIT UNTIL 2008? THERE IS AN ELECTION IN 2007. I HEREWITH FIRMLY
STATE THAT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY POLITICIAN, REGARDLESS OF THE OTHER
ISSUES, IF HE DOES NOT SPONSOR AND SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION.
THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE STANDING FOR ELECTION IN 2007.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT!

KEEP IT GOING!!!!

2008 Election Issue!!

GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOC. SEC.

This must be an issue in "2008" Please! Keep it going.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.

Our Senators and Congresswomen DO NOT pay into Social Security and, of
course, they do not collect from it.

You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their
rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for
themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan.

In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it.
After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this:

When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die.

Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living
adjustments..

For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may
expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred
Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275, 000.00 during the last
years of their lives.

This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two
Dignitaries.

Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more
during the rest of their lives.

Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA..! ZILCH...

This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I
pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan
come directly from the General Funds;

"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK "!

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid)
into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our
employer). We can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after
retirement.

Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000
monthly benefits for another 68 years and one (1) month to equal
Senator! Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.

That change would be to:

Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and
Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us

Then sit back.....

And see how fast they would fix it.

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted
and maybe good changes will evolve.

How many people CAN you send this to?

Better yet.....

How many people WILL you send this to ?

I'm in total agreement with this. As I said a few months ago, I believe that it's time to return the government to the people, and two effective ways to do that are through term limits and having no special entitlement programs (such as Social Security and health care) for members of Congress that aren't also enjoyed by the average Joe on the street. And unlike some people, I strongly disagree with the idea that there should be a "ruling class" in this country that receives special privileges for the duration of their lives.

Incidentally, here's my response to the "ruling class" guy, in the comments to his post on the subject:

I'm sorry, but this is a complete and utter load of crap. Once there's a "ruling class," they start making one set of rules for themselves and another for "the rest of us." This is exactly why we need term limits for Congress (12 years, max), and have all the members while in office, be subject to the same things we are (i.e. no special Congressional health care plan, etc.). This needs to happen sooner rather than later, so that we can return to the concept of the "citizen-legislator" developed by the Framers.

Again, it would take a lot of courage for Congress to pass legislation that would take away their special perks; the only way to really achieve this is to elect new members who will follow through with this legislation once they're elected instead of getting caught up in the perks and power of Washington. I think this process needs to start sooner, rather than later.

Poorly-written headline of the week: Man Shot by Pistol Thrown in the Trash

Wouldn't this be called HRWI or something? An Alabama woman was charged with DWI...while on horseback.