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OCCUPY WALL STREET DEMANDS
Congressional and Senate Reform Act of 2012
The media keeps asking what demands Occupy Wall Street protesters want as it seems everyone has a different thought on what needs to be fixed and changed. These protesters and others are often referred to as 99ers or 99%ers. This means the normal, average middle income or less American. As many have their own thoughts and opinions on what needs to be fixed first and foremost we have developed the Congressional and Senate Reform Act of 2012 which should address the foundations for change and move us forward to real elected representation which is completely lacking in our present political process.
After reviewing some of the 13 demands that are supposedly attributed to Occupy Wall Street we did not think that it really represented the 99%. There is conjecture that these so-called demands were actually a product of a misrepresentation campaign by opponents (big business, etc.) Many of the "demands" were unrealistic and unpalatable to the normal average 99%. While we agreed with some of the demands we thought some were agenda based from other organizations and this does not sit well with us. If you want to be true to the concept then you need to have a starting platform that truly represents the 99% and not agenda based such as Vegan or Global Warming as examples. We need fact and logic based agendas and not profit or belief system agendas. This is why we have created the first logical step in keeping with our constitutional values of America and changing of the system from within. If we could get this amendment passed first then we could proceed in fixing some of the other major issues that some of the Occupy Wall Street demands set out to do. We do not wish to see the movement end because of alienation of members of the 99%. We 99% believe the system needs to be changed, that we can all agree on. We believe that our Reform Act represents the 99%. We believe that the only ones who could or would have an issue with this Reform Act are those already in power and the lobbyists, corporate donors, media etc. who profit from dictating public policy through our elected officials at present.
This is a basic template that could be tweaked and or expanded. We do not think it necessary to have a 2000 page document full of loopholes as this is what we are trying to do away with. KEEP IT SIMPLE and CONCISE. That is our motto. This Reform Act is for the federal level. The state, counties and cities should also be reformed as they are a major factor in Laws, Rules, Regulations, etc. that has as much or more direct influence on your life as the federal laws etc. do. Petition your local, county and state governments to adopt a similar reform act that would apply to all politicians and others working for the public in any capacity. Examples on the local or state level could include eliminating primary elections, etc. As we said this is just Phase 1 of real political change that would begin the process of having a level, real representative government our forefathers envisioned and not the rule by corporate and banking interests only.
Feel free to share this page and contact us with your thoughts and ideas for any additions or tweaks. Please credit our website as this is our sole source of income and we are just a poor family of four at poverty level trying to make ends meet.
You can also copy and paste this reform act and email to your representatives. We would encourage all to do this several times a day so that they understand what we want for real change. Have them pledge to support this legislation or not be elected. Have any new candidate pledge to enact or they will not get your vote. You can get your representatives email or physical address for any state at www.contactingthecongress.org
Now for the ACT...
Congressional and Senate Reform Act of 2012
1. Term Limits. Change all to 4 year terms only as is the same for presidents,
governors etc. These would also come up for election on the same cycle and there
would be no mid-term type elections. 1 term only, period. Applies to congress or
senate or president. These people are elected to work for us. Not work part time
and then work only to get re elected afterward.
2. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman or Senator collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay or benefits when they are out of office.
3. Congress or Senate (past, present & future) participates in Social Security
only.
All funds they have contributed in the FERS retirement fund move to an IRA or
401k of their choice immediately.
4. Congress or Senate can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.
5. Congress will no longer vote themselves or Senate a pay raise. Congressional
and Senate pay will only be the average of what the average American worker
makes. This will rise and fall on a four year basis.
6. Congress and Senate loses their current health care system and participates
in the same basic health care system as the average American. Coverage will be
given as what the average American receives and has to pay towards etc.
7. Congress and Senate must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.
8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen and Senators are void
effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make these contracts with Congressmen or Senators.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress or
Senate is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen
legislators, so ours should serve their term, then go home and back to work.
9. Congress and Senate will establish national standardized voting system using
only paper ballots as the software for computerized vote taking has been found
to be corrupt. Vote counters will be chosen like juries in their locales with a
system in place for triple count to verify accuracy.
10. Congress and Senate can establish secure video system for their vote taking
and reduce the costs of travel etc. to Washington. All members must vote on
every issue. They are elected to represent us at all times and there are no
excuses for not voting.
11. No one seeking election shall accept any campaign donations exceeding
$100.00 from any individual or corporation or other entity. There must also be
full disclosure with taxpayer id for all campaign donations. No campaign
donations in any amount can be accepted from foreign individuals, corporations
or other foreign entities. This amendment supersedes the Supreme Courts ruling that
determined that corporations, PACS, etc. were people by imposing limits which
would not be unconstitutional. To avoid having only the rich being able to spend
their money lavishly on a campaign and having an advantage over those with less money
a limit of $100 shall also be imposed on all seeking election. The use of their
own vehicles, plane trips, hotel costs etc. will be excluded from this limit. No
loans personal or otherwise to campaigns will be allowed. Each candidate will be allowed 2 campaign
mailings per election at government cost (postage, materials, etc.) Mailers will
be of same size, kind etc.
12. Congress and Senate will set up the system for election debates on Public
Television and Public Radio in all states for all those seeking election and all
will have a standard questionnaire to be answered to and debated with each
having equal time.
13. Political parties will be not be allowed. The only political party that any
person seeking elected office is beholden to is all of the American people.
14. No elected official may ever vote on any issue that they may have any kind
of financial interest in on any level meaning also family and friends or
associates. If found later that they did then criminal charges may be brought
against them. They must publicly disclose and abstain from the voting process on
these issues.
15. Make this an amendment that all Congress or Senate members or those seeking
election must sign and adhere to as a valid and legal contract with the American
people. Failure to abide by will be automatic termination as well as possible
fraud charges being brought.
END
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