Subject: An idea whose time has come
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.
Have each person contact a minimum of Twenty people on their Address list, in turn ask each of those to do likewise..
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States".
I've already created threads in several different discussion forums using this letter as the lead message, and here is what I intend to post as my own first message, after I see some comments from other members:
My kneejerk reaction to this was, "Yes! this sounds like great idea. Make politicians obey the same laws everyone else does, starting with members of Congress. However, when reflect on the wording of the proposed Constitutional Amendment itself, I realize this stark, simple measure might very well be "throwing the baby out with the bath water".
Yes, we need to get rid of the specific laws cited in the introduction to the proposed amendment. But do we REALLY want to COMPLETELY trash the set of checks and balances in this area that's already in place? The worst thing about this Amendement is that it would nullify the laws that prevent Senators and Representatives from being tried for crimes or sued in civil courts without first being impeached by their peers. This means that ALL state and local judges would essentially have this impeachment power and could essentially remove members of Congress from office temporarily just with the stroke of a pen on a warrant or summons. Considering the problems Congress is having right now over filibusters and reconcilement, I shudder to think how much the repeal of congressional immunity from prosecution would interfere with the law-making process.
So if an amendment like this is passed, it shouldn't be a simple, blanket statement of equality under the law, but should contain specific exceptions like the one I just mentioned.
