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?

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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

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August 17, 2010