Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:
"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971…before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land…all because of public pressure.
Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*_
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the rest of the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans can.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with the members of Congress. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on to at least 20 others.. Please keep it going.
Good Morning Gloucester 
so true, if any of us ran our business like Congress does we would all be out of business. Thanks
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I agree 100%. But it will never happen.
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Thank you Joey!
I love the Congressional Reform Act, 2011. It is way beyond mere POLITICS.
Your endorsement of this initiative is huge.
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Have voiced the same idea amongst friends for many years. Mine is a small voice however if the majority agree, it then becomes a huge voice!! Agree entirely with Buffett!! Its time to throw out all of the political hacks and find responisble citizens willing to work for us rather than their “back pockets!!
Wonder if Buffett would like to run for office. Doubt it, hes too smart!!!!!
.>
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Congress can’t do this — it’s way too reasonable!
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Well, there goes Warren Buffett, deflecting attention away from the real problem, which is corporate greed! I like what he says, but really, the members of congress are there because WE vote them in, and they are often not in office to help their constituents–it seems it`s really just to play a power game and get great benefits.
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M Periera-
I agree with you that corporate greed is the problem. But Congress can’t fix it because most of the senators and representatives (except maybe Bernie Sanders, VT,) have been bought by corporate lobbysists. I’d like to know who’s representing ME in Congress, since I can’t afford to go out and buy myself a congress-person.
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Joey, if only it’s that easy……think you should read this link in Snopes…..
Hate to throw water on any seeming great ideas but…..http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/28thamendment.asp
Warren Buffet could write a check to cover our debit, but the real problem is as you state – Congress. David has a new bumper sticker – GO GREEN – RECYCLE CONGRESS!!!
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The inability to get even 10 people to agree that this makes sense is the problem. We, yes we, are the problem with our defeatist attitudes and lamenting about the “real problem” The real problem is the attitude that we have no power to change anything……it WOULD happen….it CAN happen, but we all need to cease making excuses. We have the government we deserve….until we choose otherwise and mobilize.
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I do agree with you, and Warren Buffett – so let’s go!
We have the power, but are we too lazy?
I’ll do anything to get our Country back.
Was at a fundraiser for Scott Brown yesterday, and was delighted to hear the positive things being done by both parties to get the Administration on the right track. Scott stated if these changes aren’t immediate, he doesn’t know how we’ll step back onto the cliff, once we’ve stepped off. He is working hard with both parties, and with the Committee of 12!
Of course the Congressional leaders and the White House are playing the blame game, but many aren’t and are sincerely worried about the fate of our Nation.
WE can make a change, they are listening!
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I agree! Here here!
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