Column - Norma White: You want change? Try these ideas

Amarillo Globe ^ | October 21, 2008 | Norma White

[pilgrim]

And a good morning to you also!

Did not write the article only posted it for consideration!

Thanks for the brilliant cogent civil discussion.

Take care

[yuleeyahoo]

That’s because Congress passed a law making annual pay raises automatic unless they voted against them.

[Carry_Okie]

Someone made the suggestion that they work from their districts. With all the technology available it could be worked out. That way the voter can ‘reach’ them easier.

"Special deals" would also be easier to detect, particularly if all communications would be a matter of public record.

[NorthMountain]

Stop bailing out mortgage companies and banks that give loans to people who cannot afford them.

Stop mandating that mortgage companies and banks give loans to people who cannot afford them.

[NorthMountain]

Stop companies from paying CEOs and other executives outrageous salaries and bonuses while doing away with workers' pensions.
Stop all unnecessary spending so we will have the money for our nation's security, and to help needy and elderly Americans.

Marxism rears its ugly head in the strangest places.

[pilgrim]

Amen to that!!

Had read an article before the Fannie and Freddy melt down that voiced a concern and mentioned it to some neighbors and was pooh poohed! They do not mention it any more.

Wish there were a way to hold Congress responsible for their actions.

[pilgrim]

If memory serves seem to remember something called

Price and wage control

or was it

wage and price control

When employers could not pay the employees a wage to attract them, employers then started offering other benefits? Government policy’s had an “unintended consequence” (imo) and again it would seem to counter this Government policy could also influence again.

At one time, when making payroll, the “labor burden” on pay was close, close did not quite reach it, was at almost 60%. Have no idea what it is now with health care and all the other bennies Government policy requires!!

But this is ALL above my pay grade. :)

Just posted the article and appreciate you at least quoting from the article with your response. That is a RARITY now days. Thanks.

Take care.........pilgrim

Just a side note.........is there no Marxism in our present Government? Just wondered, sincerely your thoughts. Again above my pay grade.

[NorthMountain]

.is there no Marxism in our present Government?

ROFL!!!!

Social Security. Medicare. SSDI. Medicaid. 0bamacare. SNAP. TANF. WIC. Section 8 housing. Labor laws favoring unions. Corporate subsidies. Farm subsidies.

Read the Communist Manifesto. Read the Federalist, and the Anti-Federalist. Read the Constitution. Compare and contrast these with the present US Government.

[pilgrim]

Totally agree.

Was wondering your thoughts. No disagreement here.

Wish more could see this!!

Thanks for no ‘snarky’ remarks!!! LOL!!

Have read parts of almost all, the Constitution in full!!

[Persephone Kore]

And thank you for posting the article. Did not mean to suggest that you took a stand on it yourself.

[AppyPappy]

This sounds like it was written by a 14 year-old. Specious pie-in-the-sky nonsense. She may as well have written “Don’t let mean people run for office”.

[pilgrim]

Thanks!!!

Felt as if you were comparing me to “Bernie Sanders.”

Thanks for the clarification!!!!

Take care.........pilgrim

[pilgrim]

Hmmmmmm?

Any thing specific?

Take care.........pilgrim

[AppyPappy]

She wants to place limits on CEO salaries. Really?
She wants banks to stop making risky loans? Really? All loans have some risk.
Limiting the pay of politicians just ensures the candidates will always be rich because they don’t need the money.

[Persephone Kore]

Felt as if you were comparing me to "Bernie Sanders."

Not you... (I was merely discussing the stance of the author of the article).

There's a populist trend right now that masquerades as conservatism. It involves supporting big government mandates to try to achieve goals that some conservatives might support.

But big government mandates will come and bite us -- we'll be bitten sooner or later by Democrats in power, by RINOs in power, and even by conservatives we disagree with on some issue.

I think the author of this article is falling sway to that sort of populism.

[pilgrim]

Do not see where she is limiting the pay of politicians.

[pilgrim]

The article is from 2008.

[AppyPappy]

Stop Congress from voting for their own raises. How did that ever get started?

Stop paying for lawmakers’ high-priced insurance premiums. After all, they are only part-time employees. They might pass some law changes on the insurance companies, if they had to find one.

Stop paying lawmakers their full salary after serving just one term, or at retirement. We need to get rid of that pension plan; they’ve let other companies get rid of theirs. You were lucky to get 40 to 50 percent of your salary after working somewhere for 35 years, but they get 100 percent.

Make Congress pay into the Social Security system. They make laws for it. If they spent some of their own money, they might be interested in making it solvent.

[pilgrim]

Seems it was commenting on the retirement.

Thanks for the comments. Not wanting to argue, just to find out your thoughts.

Thanks again

[Persephone Kore]

I hadn’t noticed the date. But I don’t think things have changed.