Dear Editor,
Shortly after the surrender of British forces at Yorktown in 1783 and the victorious American revolution, one of the British king’s ministers remarked to the king that General Washington had promised to leave official posts and return to his Virginia farm instead of becoming a dictator. The king replied, “If he does that, he would be the greatest man in the world.” The king obviously did not believe Washington would do such a thing. He did.
It was then public service and an honor to have given it to the country. Such is no longer the case in D.C. Today political office at the congressional level is a ticket to privilege, wealth, and lifelong prosperity. This needs to change.
A 28th Amendment to the Constitution would correct this and could comprise the following provisions. All are fair.
- Term limits: no senator or representative can hold office for more than three consecutive terms.
- Elected senators/representatives who are eligible for retirement shall be paid at the same rate as military personnel, depending on length of service.
- All congressmen, past and current, shall participate in our social security system; all funds presently in the congressional retirement fund shall be transferred into the social security fund.
- Congress shall not be entitled to vote themselves pay raises; pay raises will be determined by the CPI or 3%.
- Congressmen must purchase their own healthcare program just like the rest of Americans.
- Congress shall enact no laws for the general population from which they are exempted.
Presently congressmen do not pay for their prescriptions, have a deductible, have no “donut hole” and are not afforded a semi-private room if hospitalized. They have free postage and a host of perks inconceivable to what was intended to be an honor for a citizen to give public service to his country. This 28th amendment is sorely needed.
God bless America.
El Sellers
Fairfield, Texas
