As a youngster, I was taught to treat others with respect. The golden rule of treating others as you want to be treated holds true in most circumstances. However, I have come to believe a better rule is to treat others the way they want to be treated. If you treat them with respect and treat them with integrity and in a manner consistent with their desires, you will in turn be treated with equal respect.
I said usually. Some people are self centered and oblivious to the needs and desires of others and are just not going to respect you. Often they don't even respect themselves. Some are just rude and so be it.
Heads of state are different, though. If the POTUS and PM of GB meet, as allies I think it appropriate to treat each other as equals or at least with a measure of respect. However, it is never appropriate for a head of state of any nation to bow to a royal of any other sovereign nation. I know their are cultural instances when it may be a sign of respect to bow to one another, but to bow to a king is to render oneself subservient. If you are the head of a nation, you render your nation subservient. The US is subservient only to God and we don't even get that right half the time.
When the POTUS meets with a third world dictator, I think it depends on the meeting as to whether a handshake is appropriate. In private meetings, if the meeting is congenial, a handshake may be appropriate. To seal an agreement, a handshake may be appropriate, but it is on the terms of the POTUS. It would not be appropriate in public.
Our president has a lot to learn about being the most powerful man in the world. He rules because our God has put him there and he serves at His pleasure. Hopefully God will teach him. If he will listen.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Leadership
Much has been said and written about the lack of leadership in our culture, particularly with respect to the Republican Party, the conservative movement, and the economy. The recent presidential election did not have a conservative candidate. While McCain is far more conservative than Obama, he is at best a liberal republican. No conservative could muster the support to energize the party to support them for the nomination.
Leadership is an elusive quality. While management skills can be learned and applied, leadership is a whole other entity. A manager can assemble people, create a common goal and develop a plan for success. A good manager can execute the plan and achieve great things. That doesn't make them a leader.
A leader is more than a manager with vision. A leader is committed, passionate, and filled with a desire to make dramatic changes to their world. They can see the world as it should be and there is a deep burning desire within to re-make the world their way. The very soul of a leader is committed to their cause.
So what are the characteristics of a leader? I believe there are four characteristics of all good leaders: Character, Conviction, Compassion, and Composure.
Character is more than just the ability to get people to like you. Character is all of the intangibles like ethics, morals, justness, etc. But, it is so much more than just that. Can an amoral person be a good leader? Of course, but their leadership will be temporary. Eventually their character will be revealed and people will eventually stop following them. Generally, people want to follow leaders we trust to lead us to a better way of living. When we understand the character, or lack there of, we begin to question motivations and then we question the way.
Conviction is the strong belief in the better way being offered. Obama had that conviction. A moderate like McCain lacked that conviction and his leadership faltered as a result. People follow passion and without conviction, there will be no passion. You cannot be passionate about compromise or equivocation. The abortion issue is a great example. People are passionate about women's rights on one side and about anti-abortion on the other. But, no one is passionate about compromising to allow abortions in some cases, but not others. There is no compromise in either side.
Compassion is required for a leader because not everyone shares their vision and commitment, but leaders realize the need for others to follow in order to change the world to reach their goals. A good leader understands the needs and desires of his followers. He also understands the needs and desires of those most affected by the change.
Composure may be the most important characteristic of a leader. Change is stress to people and a leader will encounter resistance. People want to trust that when all around is falling apart, their leader is standing strong. When Ronald Regan was shot, he calmed the world with one statement. He said, "Tell Nancy, I'm alright." With that statement, the world exhaled. Regan was a leader.
So where are the leaders in the conservative movement? Where is the passion? Have circumstances not deteriorated enough to arouse the passion for change? Leaders needed. Apply within.
Leadership is an elusive quality. While management skills can be learned and applied, leadership is a whole other entity. A manager can assemble people, create a common goal and develop a plan for success. A good manager can execute the plan and achieve great things. That doesn't make them a leader.
A leader is more than a manager with vision. A leader is committed, passionate, and filled with a desire to make dramatic changes to their world. They can see the world as it should be and there is a deep burning desire within to re-make the world their way. The very soul of a leader is committed to their cause.
So what are the characteristics of a leader? I believe there are four characteristics of all good leaders: Character, Conviction, Compassion, and Composure.
Character is more than just the ability to get people to like you. Character is all of the intangibles like ethics, morals, justness, etc. But, it is so much more than just that. Can an amoral person be a good leader? Of course, but their leadership will be temporary. Eventually their character will be revealed and people will eventually stop following them. Generally, people want to follow leaders we trust to lead us to a better way of living. When we understand the character, or lack there of, we begin to question motivations and then we question the way.
Conviction is the strong belief in the better way being offered. Obama had that conviction. A moderate like McCain lacked that conviction and his leadership faltered as a result. People follow passion and without conviction, there will be no passion. You cannot be passionate about compromise or equivocation. The abortion issue is a great example. People are passionate about women's rights on one side and about anti-abortion on the other. But, no one is passionate about compromising to allow abortions in some cases, but not others. There is no compromise in either side.
Compassion is required for a leader because not everyone shares their vision and commitment, but leaders realize the need for others to follow in order to change the world to reach their goals. A good leader understands the needs and desires of his followers. He also understands the needs and desires of those most affected by the change.
Composure may be the most important characteristic of a leader. Change is stress to people and a leader will encounter resistance. People want to trust that when all around is falling apart, their leader is standing strong. When Ronald Regan was shot, he calmed the world with one statement. He said, "Tell Nancy, I'm alright." With that statement, the world exhaled. Regan was a leader.
So where are the leaders in the conservative movement? Where is the passion? Have circumstances not deteriorated enough to arouse the passion for change? Leaders needed. Apply within.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Take the Stimulus or Not
As I write this Governor Mark Sanford is debating whether to accept the stimulus money from the federal government. Sanford wants to use the money to pay down debt, but the money, as with all things from the federal government, comes with spending requirements that do not allow debt reduction. The legislature is divided on the issue as well they should be.
The problem of the budget in SC is a complex one with the major issue being the high unemployment (one of the highest in the nation). Tax revenue is down, but spending on government spending is up. South Carolina is a microcosm of the economy in total. As Governor, you want to help the people of SC that have lost their jobs, but Sanford is unwilling to help them at the expense of their children.
The stimulus money is for two years. If the money is added to the the revenue stream in SC and budgeting is done in the normal baseline budgeting manner, in two years, when the stream dries up, the income must be replace with instate money. Unless the economy booms, that will not happen.
South Carolina is a diverse state with manufacturing areas in the upstate, rural agricultural communities in the Pee Dee, and the tourist areas along the coast. While the upstate counties and areas around Charlotte and Columbia are prosperous with good schools, the rural counties have fewer resources and job opportunities. The coast is heavily populated, but many of the jobs are service or construction type and not the higher paying technical jobs of the upstate.
The areas most hurt by the current recession are the areas that were already below the state average. While manufacturing job losses are high, this recession has really hurt the tourist and small construction business. Taking the stimulus money and spending it on the prescribed education would be helpful to those hurting the most. The issue is complex.
The solution to a complex problem is a series of simpler solutions. First, Governor Sanford has to make his point politically that we need to exercise extreme caution in taking the money from the federal government with the strings attached. Help should not come with such strings.
Second, rather than let the budgets balloon based on short term money, use the money for short term projects where needed and define the spending as outside of budget spending. Use the money for capital spending that helps infrastructure, but does not require extended maintenance.
Third, seek to outsource and privatize some state agencies. Prisons seem like and easy start. With some basic rules and oversight, long term prisoners could be kept anywhere in the world less expensively than here.
Fourth, promote growth in rural areas. Offer tax incentives to companies to locate in and hire workers from rural areas. Give companies tax incentives to locate in any county with unemployment below the average of the 46 counties. If any company in the state hires workers that are currently receiving unemployment benefits for more than 3 months, they can deduct the cost of the employee including salary, benefits and training costs from their profits before taxes for two years.
Fifth, to help people get back on their feet now, people that have been on assistance for more than 3 months will pay no state taxes for one year. No withholdings will put more money in their checks every week to get them out of any debt accrued quicker.
Sixth, reduce property taxes now. Prices on real property are falling and with foreclosures, will continue to fall for several years. Taxes are not being revalued based on these reductions in value. Reduce the property taxes to rates below the national average. Based on income and cost of living, SC taxes should be in the lower 4th of the nation. It is not.
These solutions each come with a price. State expenditures have to be controlled. State employees will become part of the unemployed, but if the administrators are allowed to cut employees based on the same criteria as private businesses, government will operate more efficiently. We cannot continue to support a bloated state government, an oppressive federal government, an dependent population and and aging workforce. If we don't react swiftly and decisively, our children and grandchildren will call us the weakest generation.
The problem of the budget in SC is a complex one with the major issue being the high unemployment (one of the highest in the nation). Tax revenue is down, but spending on government spending is up. South Carolina is a microcosm of the economy in total. As Governor, you want to help the people of SC that have lost their jobs, but Sanford is unwilling to help them at the expense of their children.
The stimulus money is for two years. If the money is added to the the revenue stream in SC and budgeting is done in the normal baseline budgeting manner, in two years, when the stream dries up, the income must be replace with instate money. Unless the economy booms, that will not happen.
South Carolina is a diverse state with manufacturing areas in the upstate, rural agricultural communities in the Pee Dee, and the tourist areas along the coast. While the upstate counties and areas around Charlotte and Columbia are prosperous with good schools, the rural counties have fewer resources and job opportunities. The coast is heavily populated, but many of the jobs are service or construction type and not the higher paying technical jobs of the upstate.
The areas most hurt by the current recession are the areas that were already below the state average. While manufacturing job losses are high, this recession has really hurt the tourist and small construction business. Taking the stimulus money and spending it on the prescribed education would be helpful to those hurting the most. The issue is complex.
The solution to a complex problem is a series of simpler solutions. First, Governor Sanford has to make his point politically that we need to exercise extreme caution in taking the money from the federal government with the strings attached. Help should not come with such strings.
Second, rather than let the budgets balloon based on short term money, use the money for short term projects where needed and define the spending as outside of budget spending. Use the money for capital spending that helps infrastructure, but does not require extended maintenance.
Third, seek to outsource and privatize some state agencies. Prisons seem like and easy start. With some basic rules and oversight, long term prisoners could be kept anywhere in the world less expensively than here.
Fourth, promote growth in rural areas. Offer tax incentives to companies to locate in and hire workers from rural areas. Give companies tax incentives to locate in any county with unemployment below the average of the 46 counties. If any company in the state hires workers that are currently receiving unemployment benefits for more than 3 months, they can deduct the cost of the employee including salary, benefits and training costs from their profits before taxes for two years.
Fifth, to help people get back on their feet now, people that have been on assistance for more than 3 months will pay no state taxes for one year. No withholdings will put more money in their checks every week to get them out of any debt accrued quicker.
Sixth, reduce property taxes now. Prices on real property are falling and with foreclosures, will continue to fall for several years. Taxes are not being revalued based on these reductions in value. Reduce the property taxes to rates below the national average. Based on income and cost of living, SC taxes should be in the lower 4th of the nation. It is not.
These solutions each come with a price. State expenditures have to be controlled. State employees will become part of the unemployed, but if the administrators are allowed to cut employees based on the same criteria as private businesses, government will operate more efficiently. We cannot continue to support a bloated state government, an oppressive federal government, an dependent population and and aging workforce. If we don't react swiftly and decisively, our children and grandchildren will call us the weakest generation.
Friday, April 3, 2009
World Economy
One of my most overused sayings is that complex problems require simple solutions. What I mean by that is that you have to break complex problems into smaller pieces and solve those issues. Complex solutions by definition are a problem because most people cannot manage the complexity of the solution, thereby causing a problem.
One such problem is the current state of the world economy. With the culmination of the G20 summit, it is more apparent than ever that the economy of the world hinges on three basic financial areas: the US, Europe, and Asia. In reality, it falls to just a few countries, the US, Western Europe, Japan, and China. The proportion of wealth to population in the world is disproportionate to overall population. Most of the world lives in what these few nations would call poverty.
I believe that we are among the wealthy because we have been blessed by God for reasons that only He knows. His blessings of wealth and education are certainly not a reward for any great thing we have done. Quite the contrary, it is more likely that His blessings are in spite of our actions. With great blessings also come great responsibilities.
As world economic leaders, we have the responsibility to help nations less fortunate. This is not to advocate a blank check to third world dictators, but to use the resources we have been given to help other growing nations. However, our national debt has committed our resources to others, rendering the supply of additional funds negligible. Our people are taxed to a level that more than 30% of their working time is required just to meet the tax burden. This is time that could be spent helping others. This is money that could be spent helping others.
The reasons are as old as history itself and not worth pointing fingers at the mistakes of the past. The real question is much simpler. How do we restore our economy so that we can restore the economies of the world? Our leaders believe that we can just print more money and send it to starving nations in the form of "humanitarian aid". If it weren't so ridiculous, that solution would be hysterical. And yet, here we go again.
In the US, we pay our farmers not to grow certain crops as a form of price controls. And yet, sub-Saharan countries can't eat our dollars, but could use grain or rice or beef, chicken, fish, etc. Why don't we use the rich, fertile soil of the great plains to grow food for our friends in need? Simply because it isn't as politically expedient and our leaders will always do what is politically expedient.
So, the problem is complex. National debt keeps the government from using financial resources to help other poor nations. National debt creates higher taxes on the people, taking individual resources reducing individual's ability to help poor people. Higher taxes cause people to spend more time working, reducing their ability to go and teach and help poor people. And, a history of letting the government be responsible for our individual giving has lead us to a "let the government do it" mentality that empowers politicians.
Complex problems require simple solutions.
1. Constitutional amendment: No budget can be passed that does not reduce the national debt with the exception of war and even then only with a super majority vote of both houses and presidential signature. Each budget should include 15% of the total to debt reduction until zero. A national goal should be set to eliminate the debt in 15 years.
2. Law: 10% of each budget should go to foreign aid immediately and the President should push other wealthy nations to do the same. Do not send money to foreign governments, but send food, supplies, engineers, farmers, geologists, and teachers to help growing countries.
3. Reduce taxes on all Americans and American business. Reduction in tax rates, if done permanently, increases movement of money and money is taxed when it moves. Therefore, with more movement of money, actual tax dollars go up, even though tax rates drop.
4. Encourage faith based and community based efforts as non-profit, tax exempt entities to join the efforts to feed the world. People with the heart to serve others have a calling to serve and are always more effective than any government.
The solutions aren't all encompassing and the solutions aren't without pain. Reducing the federal debt and the federal budget will no doubt hurt some people that live off of the government budget. It isn't easy, but it has to be done for our nation to regain our place as a nations blessed by God.
One such problem is the current state of the world economy. With the culmination of the G20 summit, it is more apparent than ever that the economy of the world hinges on three basic financial areas: the US, Europe, and Asia. In reality, it falls to just a few countries, the US, Western Europe, Japan, and China. The proportion of wealth to population in the world is disproportionate to overall population. Most of the world lives in what these few nations would call poverty.
I believe that we are among the wealthy because we have been blessed by God for reasons that only He knows. His blessings of wealth and education are certainly not a reward for any great thing we have done. Quite the contrary, it is more likely that His blessings are in spite of our actions. With great blessings also come great responsibilities.
As world economic leaders, we have the responsibility to help nations less fortunate. This is not to advocate a blank check to third world dictators, but to use the resources we have been given to help other growing nations. However, our national debt has committed our resources to others, rendering the supply of additional funds negligible. Our people are taxed to a level that more than 30% of their working time is required just to meet the tax burden. This is time that could be spent helping others. This is money that could be spent helping others.
The reasons are as old as history itself and not worth pointing fingers at the mistakes of the past. The real question is much simpler. How do we restore our economy so that we can restore the economies of the world? Our leaders believe that we can just print more money and send it to starving nations in the form of "humanitarian aid". If it weren't so ridiculous, that solution would be hysterical. And yet, here we go again.
In the US, we pay our farmers not to grow certain crops as a form of price controls. And yet, sub-Saharan countries can't eat our dollars, but could use grain or rice or beef, chicken, fish, etc. Why don't we use the rich, fertile soil of the great plains to grow food for our friends in need? Simply because it isn't as politically expedient and our leaders will always do what is politically expedient.
So, the problem is complex. National debt keeps the government from using financial resources to help other poor nations. National debt creates higher taxes on the people, taking individual resources reducing individual's ability to help poor people. Higher taxes cause people to spend more time working, reducing their ability to go and teach and help poor people. And, a history of letting the government be responsible for our individual giving has lead us to a "let the government do it" mentality that empowers politicians.
Complex problems require simple solutions.
1. Constitutional amendment: No budget can be passed that does not reduce the national debt with the exception of war and even then only with a super majority vote of both houses and presidential signature. Each budget should include 15% of the total to debt reduction until zero. A national goal should be set to eliminate the debt in 15 years.
2. Law: 10% of each budget should go to foreign aid immediately and the President should push other wealthy nations to do the same. Do not send money to foreign governments, but send food, supplies, engineers, farmers, geologists, and teachers to help growing countries.
3. Reduce taxes on all Americans and American business. Reduction in tax rates, if done permanently, increases movement of money and money is taxed when it moves. Therefore, with more movement of money, actual tax dollars go up, even though tax rates drop.
4. Encourage faith based and community based efforts as non-profit, tax exempt entities to join the efforts to feed the world. People with the heart to serve others have a calling to serve and are always more effective than any government.
The solutions aren't all encompassing and the solutions aren't without pain. Reducing the federal debt and the federal budget will no doubt hurt some people that live off of the government budget. It isn't easy, but it has to be done for our nation to regain our place as a nations blessed by God.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
New Authority
I spent some time today reading the US Constitution. I am no lawyer, but I could not find any provision for any branch of the federal government, even the executive branch, to call for the dismissal of a private company CEO. I bet Jefferson is in Heaven (or Hell) wondering what happened to the country he worked so hard to help found and to steer clear of government tyranny.
As I walked with my dog last night, I thought about what it will take to re-capture the path of greatness from which our country has strayed. I thought about the current political leadership and as I did a mental role call, I could not think of one man (or woman) that have what I consider the leadership ability to be great. The Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, all follow the same mentality of compromise and going along to get along. Who will be the Thomas Payne or John Hancock of our generation?
We have become a nation so soft from our own success that we fail to raise leaders willing to pay the price of leadership. Sure, we probably have more great business leaders (financial and automotive company not withstanding) than any nation in the history of the world. We have great military leaders that when allowed to use their expertise and execute their plans without micromanagement have built nations that spread freedom to a part of the world that has never known such. But, we don't have leaders willing to be crucified in the press, to have their wives and children exposed to ridicule that inevitably comes with change. We don't have wealthy men willing to give up their homes, their fortunes, their lives and the lives of their children so that their descendants can live free in a better world than we have today. Where are those men?
Desperate times do not create those men. Those men are created by God and are gifted to step forward in times of great angst. They may not be the smartest or the most brave or even the most faithful, but in every successful society, they are called by God to do the extraordinary. History teaches us nothing if not that Godly societies succeed and those that turn from Him will fail and fall hard when they do.
God guided the men that created our government. He did not guide them to create a theocracy because He gives us the choice to follow Him or not. He guided them to create a government that is run by people of His choosing. Where are those men today? Are they hearing the call and remaining silent? Or is God punishing us by giving us a leader that does not believe Him? He would certainly be justified in doing so...
As I walked with my dog last night, I thought about what it will take to re-capture the path of greatness from which our country has strayed. I thought about the current political leadership and as I did a mental role call, I could not think of one man (or woman) that have what I consider the leadership ability to be great. The Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, all follow the same mentality of compromise and going along to get along. Who will be the Thomas Payne or John Hancock of our generation?
We have become a nation so soft from our own success that we fail to raise leaders willing to pay the price of leadership. Sure, we probably have more great business leaders (financial and automotive company not withstanding) than any nation in the history of the world. We have great military leaders that when allowed to use their expertise and execute their plans without micromanagement have built nations that spread freedom to a part of the world that has never known such. But, we don't have leaders willing to be crucified in the press, to have their wives and children exposed to ridicule that inevitably comes with change. We don't have wealthy men willing to give up their homes, their fortunes, their lives and the lives of their children so that their descendants can live free in a better world than we have today. Where are those men?
Desperate times do not create those men. Those men are created by God and are gifted to step forward in times of great angst. They may not be the smartest or the most brave or even the most faithful, but in every successful society, they are called by God to do the extraordinary. History teaches us nothing if not that Godly societies succeed and those that turn from Him will fail and fall hard when they do.
God guided the men that created our government. He did not guide them to create a theocracy because He gives us the choice to follow Him or not. He guided them to create a government that is run by people of His choosing. Where are those men today? Are they hearing the call and remaining silent? Or is God punishing us by giving us a leader that does not believe Him? He would certainly be justified in doing so...
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Economy
The economy is in recession and headed for depression. We all know that while the unemployment rate is at 8%, with furloughs and pay cuts, the effective rate is more like 15%. Our brilliant politicians and economists believe that people need to borrow more money to spend and the government needs to spend more of our money to solve the problems. All that does is put the burden on our grandchildren and sacrifices the needs of our children for the desires of us. How would "The Greatest Generation" feel about that?
Here are my steps to fixing the economy right now:
1. End withholding for the lowest two tax brackets. That puts money in the pockets of those that need it now. Yes, they will have to pay taxes later, but it is not nearly as deep as the amount taken in taxes.
2. Declare a tax free summer for earners under $75,000. Include the amount paid by their employers for SS and FICA if the company will pay it to the wage earner.
3. Companies that hire individuals that have been unemployed for 6 months or more will be able to deduct the full amount of cost (salary, benefits, taxes, training) from the tax amount owed for 1 year. Yes, this is a double dip on the cost, but gets them off the public assistance.
4. All union wage contracts are to be renegotiated through binding arbitration with the goal of making US companies competitive with the rest of the world. Don't tell me the US automakers can't compete because of US labor rates. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, BMW, Mercedes are doing great with US workers... they aren't paying huge payoffs to UAW.
5. Let some banks, investment firms, insurance companies, big corporations, fail. Stockholders will pay more attention to the value of the company if their money is at risk. Also, do not allow publicly traded stock to be valued as an asset on the books. Only hard assets like real property.
6. Promote debt reduction by people. I am not a fan of using the tax code as motivation, but let the president use his bully pulpit to promote debt reduction. When people reduce their debt and government reduces its debt, the greatest nation will be in a better position to help other nations.
Given the implementation of these 6 simple actions, the economy will grow immediately at a reasonable rate and consumer confidence will spread.
Here are my steps to fixing the economy right now:
1. End withholding for the lowest two tax brackets. That puts money in the pockets of those that need it now. Yes, they will have to pay taxes later, but it is not nearly as deep as the amount taken in taxes.
2. Declare a tax free summer for earners under $75,000. Include the amount paid by their employers for SS and FICA if the company will pay it to the wage earner.
3. Companies that hire individuals that have been unemployed for 6 months or more will be able to deduct the full amount of cost (salary, benefits, taxes, training) from the tax amount owed for 1 year. Yes, this is a double dip on the cost, but gets them off the public assistance.
4. All union wage contracts are to be renegotiated through binding arbitration with the goal of making US companies competitive with the rest of the world. Don't tell me the US automakers can't compete because of US labor rates. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, BMW, Mercedes are doing great with US workers... they aren't paying huge payoffs to UAW.
5. Let some banks, investment firms, insurance companies, big corporations, fail. Stockholders will pay more attention to the value of the company if their money is at risk. Also, do not allow publicly traded stock to be valued as an asset on the books. Only hard assets like real property.
6. Promote debt reduction by people. I am not a fan of using the tax code as motivation, but let the president use his bully pulpit to promote debt reduction. When people reduce their debt and government reduces its debt, the greatest nation will be in a better position to help other nations.
Given the implementation of these 6 simple actions, the economy will grow immediately at a reasonable rate and consumer confidence will spread.
House and Senate
The federal government has become a behemoth that feeds on tax payers and generates very little in the way of positive governance for society. Let me say for the record that there are some good, hard working, men and women employed by our federal government that do their jobs with effort and excellence. And, as with any large entity, there are those that do little to further the cause.
The most egregious of the latter group is the US Congress. Our elected officials have betrayed our trust, repeatedly lied, taken bribes in the form of reelection campaign contributions, voted against the will of their own constituents, been found guilty of felonies, and many other failures. There is not a leader among them willing or able to lead our country on a new path. Our recent election was about change, but the people failed to enact change in the house or senate.
As dictator, I would make a few changes to the house and senate immediately. First, I would make their compensation come from the states. Governors can meet and decided on a cost of living multiplier for each year to keep compensation consistent, but house and senate members can no longer vote for raises and benefits for themselves. No more government pensions and retirement plans outside of social security. They follow the same rules as the rest of us.
Secondly, I would implement term limits at 5 terms or 10 years for the House and 2 terms or 12 years for the Senate. Lifelong appointments, even if they have to be reelected leads to corruption and power for longevity. Go get another job. This would also change the committee appointment rules to take the “senior” members out of control. The American Taxpayer cannot vote for change if the same guys control all of the committees for 30 years.
Real campaign finance reform is next on the list, but not that crap McCain tried to pass off as reform. How about this solution? You can donate up to 50% of the amount you paid in taxes last year, but only to candidates that will be on your ballot. That stops out of state money influencing elections. Accepting money from outside of your district will be a federal offense punishable by a confiscation of your personal funds up to and including the amount of the tainted money and an immediate removal from office. All confiscated funds will be donated to a charity chosen by the governor of your state.
The most egregious of the latter group is the US Congress. Our elected officials have betrayed our trust, repeatedly lied, taken bribes in the form of reelection campaign contributions, voted against the will of their own constituents, been found guilty of felonies, and many other failures. There is not a leader among them willing or able to lead our country on a new path. Our recent election was about change, but the people failed to enact change in the house or senate.
As dictator, I would make a few changes to the house and senate immediately. First, I would make their compensation come from the states. Governors can meet and decided on a cost of living multiplier for each year to keep compensation consistent, but house and senate members can no longer vote for raises and benefits for themselves. No more government pensions and retirement plans outside of social security. They follow the same rules as the rest of us.
Secondly, I would implement term limits at 5 terms or 10 years for the House and 2 terms or 12 years for the Senate. Lifelong appointments, even if they have to be reelected leads to corruption and power for longevity. Go get another job. This would also change the committee appointment rules to take the “senior” members out of control. The American Taxpayer cannot vote for change if the same guys control all of the committees for 30 years.
Real campaign finance reform is next on the list, but not that crap McCain tried to pass off as reform. How about this solution? You can donate up to 50% of the amount you paid in taxes last year, but only to candidates that will be on your ballot. That stops out of state money influencing elections. Accepting money from outside of your district will be a federal offense punishable by a confiscation of your personal funds up to and including the amount of the tainted money and an immediate removal from office. All confiscated funds will be donated to a charity chosen by the governor of your state.
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