* Why This New Liberal Congress Is Screwed Up ! *

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But this new ethical congress is a sham of a sham, going to make pensions void if corrupt senators get busted.
2. But not those who have already been convicted, and or in process, or admitted guilt.
3. This is typical of the Liberal mindset.
4. Its a fact, folks here's the proof.
5. SNATCHED FROM: THE STAR-TELEGRAM IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS

"
Senate targets errant membersBy JIM ABRAMS
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted 87-0 on Friday to strip away the pensions of members of Congress convicted of white-collar crimes such as bribery, perjury and fraud. That could result in benefit losses of more than $100,000 a year.

"With this vote, we are preventing members of Congress who steal or cheat from receiving a lifelong pension that is paid for by the taxpayers," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., sponsor of the measure with Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo.

The pension measure was attached to a comprehensive ethics and lobbying bill that the Democratic-controlled Senate took up as its first legislative act of the year.

The Democrats returned to power in both the House and Senate after a campaign in which they stressed the "culture of corruption" under GOP rule. Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., was sentenced to more than eight years in prison last year after pleading guilty to receiving $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.

Also, last December, Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, resigned after pleading guilty to conspiracy and making false statements in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Kerry's office said that by law Congress cannot take away pensions retroactively and that the "Duke Cunningham Act" won't affect the benefits of Cunningham or Ney. Nor would it touch the military benefits of a veteran such as Cunningham.

Under current law, pensions can be forfeited only if a lawmaker commits crimes such as treason or espionage.

The National Taxpayers Union, which tracks congressional pensions, said Ney would be eligible for about $29,000 a year if he waits until 2016, when he turns 62. Cunningham, 65, could receive benefits of about $64,000 with his military service, a sum that includes $36,000 from his eight terms in Congress.

The National Taxpayers Union says there are about 20 former members convicted of serious crimes who qualify for pensions.

The Senate is expected to finish its work on the ethics and lobbying bill next week, after which the issue will move to the House.

If enacted, the pension denial provision will go into effect in 2009.

"

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[lily]

Well........I suppose we could just leave it the way it was.

[Drocket]

So the Republicans, who didn't pass ANY bill of this sort, are better than Democrats who did, but didn't make it apply fast enough for your tastes?

[BoogyMan]

I for one am happy to see this kind of legislation. I would have preferred it to cover those caught with their hands in the cookie jar prior to it's inception. But I guess I will take what I can get.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But it should apply to all those alive who have broken the law.
2. Not some future date allowing a cover of time to kick in on some who presently are breaking laws.
3. This is no less than how Nancy Pelosi conveniently over looked the Tuna Gate, on the raise in minimum wage just recently too.
4. All these convenient loop holes, its just plain not right.
5. And has to get fixed, or I'm not good with it!
6. There's also that congressmen who got caught with the cash in his freezer, he needs to be unhooked from public funds as well.
7. I'm a Great American Patriot, and I stand for what's right and for the American tax payers, who own this Country!

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[ECW]

This just goes to show me how little my conservative friends know about their beloved constitution. Article 1, Section 9 of the constitution states: No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

An ex post facto law is a law that makes something illegal retroactively or makes something illegal that was not illegal at the time it was done. Denying a felonious Senator/Congressman their pension is all well and good but it would have to apply for convictions attained AFTER the law was passed, not actions before.

Your outrage is well placed but your solution is not.

[CheesyMuslim]

SOrry bout that,

1. But this cover of corruption is what the ethics clean up the Liberals have been talking about.
2. But to post date the clean up is as bad as not cleaning it up.
3. Its sewer politics.
4. At its best!
5. To say this is an honorable way of doing this is corrupted to the core.
6. Its a crying shame how this congress is handling the peoples business, and opening the door for more corrupt officials till 2009, then supposedly things change.
7. Not!

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[wonder cow]

Article 1, Section 9 of the constitution states: No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

Exactamundo.

[ECW]

6. Its a crying shame how this congress is handling the peoples business, and opening the door for more corrupt officials till 2009, then supposedly things change.


And again you miss the point. Congress cannot pass laws to govern their own behavior, only that of future congresses. When they get a pay raise, it is the previous congress that voted on it, not the current congress. The 110th Congress is finished in January 2009. That's when this all takes effect. Again your anger is misplaced by your lack of knowledge of how congress works and by what laws they must follow.

Funny, I don't remember you being so pissed off at the corruption in congress when your boys were running the show. Different standards (higher ones) must be in effect now, eh?

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But I see this as a loop hole.
2. You see it as a good thing.
3. We seem to be at loggerheads on this.
4. I of-course am right as usual.
5. But in certain situations I can see how that being fair, not in this one thou.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[Drocket]

2. You see it as a good thing.

More accurately, it would be described as a necessary thing, based on the law. I guess technically you're correct, as I think Congress obeying the law is a good thing...

So just to be clear then, you think Congress obeying the law isn't a good thing?

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But I think that them making a law that they will some day have to watch out for is ridicules.
2. They should already be made to forfeit their claims to peoples funds after they corrupted themselves with various scams that they do.
3. Making it a law and post dating it, when it involves their own actions toward being corrupted is working the system and showing the world that we have a catch 22 built into our system of government, that protects the corrupt Senators and Congressman.
4. This is wrong, plain and simple.
5. This kind of law should be retroactive to all living Senators and Congressman/ladies, and their heirs.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[lily]

Chess.....you can't be so used to having the constitution thrown aside when it doesn't suit your purposes, to complain about it when it isn't, can you?

Besides, if we did it your way, Foley wouldn't get his pension. You wouldn't want that, would you?:P

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But I want Foley's pension revoked!
2. I want that dude ruined.
3. Let him get a regular job, and pay into SS.
4. Then let him retire at 62 or whatever and get a check, like everyone else.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[ECW]

4. This is wrong, plain and simple.
5. This kind of law should be retroactive to all living Senators and Congressman/ladies, and their heirs.


...and what you are proposing is unconstitutional. You really ought to try and remember what country we live in. This is a nation of laws, not vigilantes.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But this is a convenient law ECW.
2. And its a law that I myself as an American could never hide behind, but they could.
3. And they are the leaders of this Nation.
4. Don't you see the hypocrisy in that?
5. Don't you see that they are giving the common everyday American the shaft???
6. Hell I know when I'm getting the shaft, and this is it.
7. I have no protections under the law so I can break the laws.
8. If I got my hands on some public monies and scammed them, if I were caught, I would be in a Federal Prison in a flash.
9. Why should these American Senators and Congressmen/ladies have this catch 22 loop hole ?
10. It is an affront to all Americans.
11. Some just can't see their hands in front of their faces in the bright sunlight of CWN.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas