I don't think we are quite at the depression stage just yet, but if things keep going they way they are now, we will and sooner than anyone can anticipate.

When a company falls

on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their

staff and workers. The remaining workers must find ways to continue to do a

good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well.

Wall street and the

media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "tough

decision", and the board of directors gives upper corporate management big

bonuses..

Our government should

not be immune from similar risks.

Therefore:

Reduce the House of

Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members.

Reduce Senate members

from 100 to 50(one per State). Then, reduce their remaining staff by 25%.

Accomplish this over

the next 8 years (two steps/two elections) and of course this would require

some redistricting.

Some Yearly Monetary

Gains Include:

$44,108,400 for

elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay/member/yr.)

$437,100,000 for

elimination of their staff. (Estimate $1.3 Million in staff per each member of

the House, and $3 Million in staff per each member of the Senate every year)

$108,350,000 for the

reduction in remaining staff by 25%.

$7,500,000,000reduction

in pork barrel earmarks each year. (Those members whose jobs are gone. Current

estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion/yr).

The remaining

representatives would need to work smarter and improve efficiencies. It might

even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country!

We may also expect

that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as

well. It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is

doing.

Congress has more

tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current

number of representatives was established. (Telephone, computers, cell phones

to name a few)

Note:

Congress does not

hesitate to head home for extended weekends, holidays and recesses, when what

the nation needs is a real fix for economic problems. Also, we had 3 senators

who were not doing their jobs for the 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and

still they all accepted full pay. Minnesota survived very well with only one

senator for the first half of this year. These facts alone support a reduction

in senators and congress.

Summary of

opportunity:

$44,108 ,400

reduction of congress members.

$282,100,000 for

elimination of the reduced house member staff.

$150,000,000 for

elimination of reduced senate member staff.

$70,850,000 for 25%

reduction of staff for remaining house members.

$37,500,000 for 25%

reduction of staff for remaining senate members.

$7,500,000,000

reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.

$8,084,558,400 per

year, estimated total savings. (That's 8-BILLION just to start!)

Corporate America does

these types of cuts all the time. There's even a name for it.

"Downsizing."

------------------------------

Also, if

Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else)

in order to collect retirement benefits, taxpayers could save a bundle.

Now they get full

retirement after serving only ONE term.

IF you are happy with

how Washington spends our taxes, ignore this message.

Otherwise, it's time

to "downsize" Congress.

How can we call it anything else considering that a tax increase to even the Reagan years' level, would put us back on our feet and the republicans refuse to hear of it? As long as they have their millions and billions, nothing else matters to them. They are neurotic about it, obsessed with it, and to hell with everyone else. Alan Grayson had it right when he described their attitude/plan for health care: "Don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly." It was too true for them to handle, but that same philosophy applies to everything else for them; no education, no public services or programs for the lower income citizens at their expense. And who cares if we die in poverty?

This new Breed of GOP Tea vangelicals want to blend politics and religeon Maybe replace Constitution with the Bible . They are devious and dangerous to our way of life Few seem to know that They are followers of the cult like fervor of Fox Beck Hannity Bachman crowd..and 800 con radio shows who's mission is to make Obama fail even as it takes down our economy, jobs, por kids education, old sick, disabled..Low income seniors who spent all they had & count on medicaid for a nursing home.GOP Tea Baggers fought to protect corps & billionaires tax cuts - loopholes & threatened to let US default to get their way .

What does that tell you GOP voters ?