Reform, Reform, Reform, What Does It All Mean

Online Princeton dictionary has this as it’s top definition for reform:

‘Make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices; “reform a political system”‘

It seems that everything needs reforming. Lest you think I am just overwhelmed and not thinking clearly, just name one government program, regulation or system that someone on the internet has not uttered the word reform, in relation to. Too lazy? Well then just take my word for it.

Everything needs reform. Certainly everything the government touches. And according to poltergeist.hypocrisy.com, the government is very responsible for most of what we like.

Now I am pretty sure there are some clubbers out there who will say, “amazing that George Bush created everything that is failing today and he did it in only 8 short years, the longest of my life.”

But maybe, just maybe, it’s the Congress, you know those 435 Representatives serving us in the House and the 100 Senators we have serving in the Senate, which needs to be reformed. Nothing in this post will be about the massive political bureaucracies they surround themselves with.  For these 535 are the major Generals of our growth and reform dependent government including both the Repugs and the Dam Rats.

I do not suggest anything like a Coup.

Something far more effective. And legal.

1. Demand salaries be cut in half immediately.
2. Demand retirement pay be deferred until they reach the age for social security retirement and make the benefits somewhat similar, and require them to put in 20 years just like a soldier before getting anything.
3. Demand that Service become their major reward, not the opportunity to just play costly putrid politics, produce new reformation targets with too many bill on day one and get rich “serving” the public. H.S.
4. Demand they accept performance responsibilities and actually sign a Bill of Promises before their swearing in ceremony.
5. No grandfathering nor grandmothering permitted. All incumbents are to sign it and back date it to their first day in office.

So, who is going to be doing this Demanding? Those of all political persuasions who are getting that creepy feeling that after the last Presidential election, all we got was a temporary Change of Dirty Diapers.

Please, do not infer even a hint of any personal level of denigration on my part, which it does seem too many actually revel in on both sides. I think both George Bush and Barack Obama are people with more talent and certainly more ambition that I ever had. They are just creatures of a political system that truly needs major political reform, but without just more conflicted new legislation.

Such rush to rack up so many new bills for political crowing, mostly serves to confuse us mere mortals. For we do not know how to read nor interpret confusing laws with too many words.

Come to think about it, our lawmakers do not read the bills the vote on or sponsor, so therefore they could not have written them.  Perhaps our lawmakers only read and interpret those laws when we plaintiffs and defendants hire them later or before, by the hour. And then we usually end up paying them to try to explain to us why it is that ultimately they may have to represent us before this court or that court since the laws and even subsequent court cases are not clear. So let’s be prepared to hire an expert to help pick the right jury. The jury has gotta like you cause they won’t understand the law either.

Who does write our laws? How did we get to this level of “sophistication,” for as Arlen Specter said recently, “we have to make judgments quickly.”

And who will write the Bill of Promises? All of us can.

In the comments below, specify, in short, non cynical words, without naming your major political nemesis, the short and meaningful idea you think belongs in the Congressional Reform Act of 2009 by way of the included Bill of Promises.

Some of you will be reluctant to put anything in writing, so all I ask is that you concentrate, in the privacy of your safe place, (mine is at the Marina with Gary Hart) on needed reform. I will do my level best to channel those ideas and at some point I will draft a Bill Of Promises.

In case you heard the news I just did, fear not even despite this: Hillary Clinton, victim of a bad translation of a question, is paraphrased today as “I will not be channeling my husband. I am the Secretary of State, not my Husband”. Even though I am not the Secretary of State, I will channel you, no worries. Call me out later when you read the Bill of Promises you “wrote”.

Depending on how much politicking I get done during my summer recess, I will give you plenty of time to review it before I ram it through. Seriously, do not count on reading it, but if you even channeled one word, well then, you will have sponsored a major piece of legislation. Congratulations in advance.

By the way, I believe our non system health care system needs to be reformed including Medicare and Medicaid let along social security. But very carefully and without a political punch list accompanied by an abusive political timetable.