Archive for the ‘Congress’ Category.

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June 29, 2011

FW: The Amazing Life of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a remarkable man who began his learning very early in life and never stopped. If only all of us could be the type of individual Thomas Jefferson was. May his life be an example for us to be better citizens and people!

  • At 5, he began studying under his cousins’ tutor.
  • At 9, he studied Latin, Greek and French.
  • At 14, he studied classical literature and additional languages.
  • At 16, he entered the College of William and Mary.
  • At 19, he studied Law for 5 years, studying under George Wythe.
  • At 23, he started his own law practice.
  • At 25, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.
  • At 31, he wrote the widely circulated “Summary View of the Rights of British America” and retired from his law practice.
  • At 32, he was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
  • At 33, he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
  • At 33, he took three years to revise Virginia’s legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.
  • At 36, he was elected the second Governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry.
  • At 40, he served in Congress for two years.
  • At 41, he was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.
  • At 46, he served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.
  • At 53, he served as Vice President and was elected President of the American Philosophical Society.
  • At 55, he drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and became the active head of Republican Party.
  • At 57, he was elected the third President of the United States.
  • At 60, he obtained the Louisiana Purchase , doubling the nation’s size.
  • At 61, he was elected to a second term as President.
  • At 65, he retired to Monticello.
  • At 80, he helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.
  • At 81, he almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia and served as its first president.
  • At 83, he died, on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence along with John Adams.

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March 30, 2011

FW: It’s Time to Downsize the Goverment

When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers must find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well. Wall street and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of “tough decision!” Our government should not be immune from similar risks.

Therefore, I Propose We:

  • Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members.
  • Reduce Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Then, reduce their remaining staff by 25%.

Accomplish this over the next 8 years (two steps/two elections) and of course this would require some redistricting. Some Yearly Monetary Gains Include:

  • $44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress (267 members X $165,200 pay/member/ yr.)
  • $437,100,000 for elimination of their staff (estimate $1.3 Million in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Million in staff per each member of the Senate every year)
  • $108,350,000 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.
  • $7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel earmarks each year (those members whose jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion/yr)

The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and improve efficiencies. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country! We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.

Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established (telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few).

Note:
Congress does not hesitate to head home for extended weekends, holidays, recesses, even when the nation needs to fix real economic problems. Interestingly, we had 3 senators that were not doing their jobs for the 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all accepted full pay. Minnesota survived very well with only one senator for the first half 2008. These facts alone support a reduction in senators and congress.

Summary of opportunity:

  • $44,108,400 reduction of congress members.
  • $282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.
  • $150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.
  • $70,850,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.
  • $37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.
  • $7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.
  • $8,084,558,400 per year, estimated total savings. (That’s 8-BILLION just to start!)

Also, if Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else) in order to collect retirement benefits, taxpayers could save a bundle. Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term.

Corporate America does these types of cuts all the time. There’s even a name for it. “Downsizing!“

 

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June 23, 2010

FW: Wal-Mart vs. The Morons

What do you all think??????

1 . Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-mart Every hour of every day.

2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!

3. Wal-mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.

4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.

5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private Employer, and most speak English.

6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.

7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger & Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.

8. During this same period, 31 supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.

9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.

10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had 5 Years ago.

11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur At a Wal-Mart store. (Earth’s population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)

12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.

You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to Fix the economy.

This should be read and understood by all Americans
Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!

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June 14, 2010

FW: The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz

Is 70 years old.



Today, if Dorothy were to encounter
Men with no brains, no hearts, and no courage -

She wouldn’t be in Oz…


She’d be in Congress!

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