Great news! Dead people, fugative and inmates just got a decrease in pay

[XJEEPER]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100722/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_improper_payments;_ylt=Amf8DfV.9r6oJgnlpL HoaPpzfNdF

[AIbandit]

Lol more than the department of education, ahh priorities.

[RichP]

"The president said the ultimate to goal is to end all improper payments."

Does that mean the congress and senate idiots will now need to get real jobs and work for a living ?

[joe_peters]

Want a bigger laugh? Obama spent $23 MILLION U.S. taxpayer dollars to influence a Kenyan constitution vote--well, it is his birthplace...

[tbburg]

So I wonder if they're still going to let the dead people vote. I mean,... cutting off government payments just 'cause you're "vitally challenged" is bad enough, but there are going to be a lot of pissed off dead people if they want to start taking away their civil rights.(especially in Chicago, hell, they even voted for him.)

[DrexelSpivey]

Dead people, fugitives and inmates? Sounds like the Chicago Democratic voter registration rolls

[5-90]

"The president said the ultimate to goal is to end all improper payments."

Does that mean the congress and senate idiots will now need to get real jobs and work for a living ?

Gawd, we can only hope!

I still say that Congresscritters should not be paid (or, perhaps, paid a nominal stipend.) Further, they are limited to two staff (one in their home district, one in DC,) may not have swanky offices or furniture, and get MediCare while they are in office (they may supplement it with privately purchased coverage if they so choose.) And, no retirement!

This should both cut down on unnecessary spending and have the very pleasant side effect of informally instituting term limits!

Any law bringing this into place must include a provision whereby it may only be modified by a supermajority of the popular vote, and that Congresscritters may not alter, update, modify, or otherwise take action WRT the measure. Further, the "supermajority" (two-thirds of the votes logged) must be from a total of at least three-fourths of the popular vote available (if less than 75% of the people vote to change it - either way - the vote is invalid. Voter apathy should work against Congresscritters - voting is currently the illusion that we are doing something to make a positive difference.)

[XJEEPER]

Another massive cost saving measure would be to hold secure, virtual congress and house sessions via that thing that Al Gore invented......I think they call it the inter-web?

With the current video conferencing and VoIP technology, elected officials could stay in the State that they've been elected to serve. We could walk into their office ( I would get an appointment, because I'm polite) and share our political wants, needs and desires with them in person and hold them to a higher level of accountability.

This would also dramatically reduce the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups.

Think about it, with corporations who operate all around the globe are using this technology daily using a proven business model for efficiency, why not require the US Government to do the same?

They do work for US and WE pay their salaries/benefits/pensions. The massive cost savings would effectively reduce our taxes also=more money in our pocket too.

[Darky]

Another massive cost saving measure would be to hold secure, virtual congress and house sessions via that thing that Al Gore invented......I think they call it the inter-web?

With the current video conferencing and VoIP technology, elected officials could stay in the State that they've been elected to serve. We could walk into their office ( I would get an appointment, because I'm polite) and share our political wants, needs and desires with them in person and hold them to a higher level of accountability.

This would also dramatically reduce the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups.

Think about it, with corporations who operate all around the globe are using this technology daily using a proven business model for efficiency, why not require the US Government to do the same?

They do work for US and WE pay their salaries/benefits/pensions. The massive cost savings would effectively reduce our taxes also=more money in our pocket too.
I like this idea!

[RichP]

I like this idea!

With one or two simple additions, if the elected official is meeting with a lobbyist it must be held in a conference room with others present and nothing going on under the table.

[bjoehandley]

With one or two simple additions, if the elected official is meeting with a lobbyist it must be held in a conference room with others present and nothing going on under the table.

Perhaps with some of their constituants being the ones listening in.

[RichP]

Perhaps with some of their constituants being the ones listening in.
For sure.

[Darky]

Perhaps with some of their constituants being the ones listening in.
Their constituents put them there...just sayin ;)

[RichP]

Their constituents put them there...just sayin ;)

As an employer I would also keep an eye on my cashier and if said cashier was suddenly a lot more flush I'd tend to count a lot more often and keep a much sharper eye on them.
I read somewhere that less than 40% of congress come into office as millionaires and all of them leave as millionaires, all on $160K a year, that's quite an accomplishment in my book.

[Darky]

Very true, but you have intelligence. :D Most voters would seem not to have that same benefit. Look at some of the politicians out there and how long they've stayed in office.

[H8PVMT]

Another massive cost saving measure would be to hold secure, virtual congress and house sessions via that thing that Al Gore invented......I think they call it the inter-web?

With the current video conferencing and VoIP technology, elected officials could stay in the State that they've been elected to serve. We could walk into their office ( I would get an appointment, because I'm polite) and share our political wants, needs and desires with them in person and hold them to a higher level of accountability.

This would also dramatically reduce the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups.

Think about it, with corporations who operate all around the globe are using this technology daily using a proven business model for efficiency, why not require the US Government to do the same?

They do work for US and WE pay their salaries/benefits/pensions. The massive cost savings would effectively reduce our taxes also=more money in our pocket too.

holy crap, you actually had a good idea not filled with nonsense, or taken off a FOX website

[XJEEPER]

I live for your acceptance.......really.