Warren Buffett and his plan to fix the debt ceiling issue (and Congress)

M

Me2SouthBend

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Got this email today. Interesting idea. Feel free to discuss.

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 they are 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 American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

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 Congressmen. 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.
 

tadman95

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Yea, Congress, these learned people who have set themselves up with a great retirement plan, separated themselves from Social Security, managed to have a terrific heath insurance system are sure to buy in to this.
 

chicago51

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Of course that won't solve the debate rather the issue is taxes or spending.

Democrats want to reduce the deficit by raising taxes mostly on capital gains and the wealthy.

Republicans want to reduce the deficit by cutt speading. By spending they meen Social Security, Meidcare, and Medicaid.

So you would still have the same gridlock. Until it got to the breaking point. Then drastic measures that would hurt the average family would have to be done.

If the ineligible for reelection idea pased then to save their own jobs it would probably mean Congress votes for both higher taxes and less benefits so the American people may still get screwed.
 

phgreek

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Got this email today. Interesting idea. Feel free to discuss.

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 they are 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 American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

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 Congressmen. 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.

I like the principles outlined here...seen them before.

Buffet is not at all who you think he is. Indeed he is wealthy...indeed he seems like a nice guy...but his pandering for higher taxes while pushing a greater % of his money offshore tells you he is a fake...he didn't do anything illegal, but he is a disingenuous douchbag. He is just like everyone else...volunteer other people's money AFTER he sets him self up to avoid any realized impact to his wealth...fvck that guy...
 

Rack Em

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The problem with "citizen legislators" and not "career politicians" is a clear lack of leadership. Guys like Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Strom Thurmand, John Kerry, Orin Hatch, and Ted Stevens were leaders of their parties and knew what needed to be done to pass legislation.

Right, wrong, or indifferent, there needs to be some continuity to each Congressional class. Buffet's idea is noble, but that would flop in practice.
 
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