I Think I'll Run for Congress...

Parker cleaned and vacuumed his room today.

It's a chore that we all hate to do, but sometimes things get to the point that it becomes nearly a health and medical necessity to do it.

Parker's solution to cleaning his bedroom is quite simple.

You get big lawn and leaf trashbags, fill them up, and put it all out at the curb. And if, by chance, there is something that's just a little too good to throw away...

You stick it in a bag, slap a sign on it, and put it out on the curb too.


D.T. has posted a brand new cartoon. He always has a lot of symbolism in his pictures. It takes more than a couple of looks to catch all the nuances of his art. He weaves so many little details into the pictures that you will miss them if you only give it a casual glance.


Danny has a post about immigration and the Mexican Constitution. It seems that Mexico would have already taken care of their illegal alien problem...

*pronto*

He has a little synopsis of Mexican law:

Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country. This ban applies, among other things, to participation in demonstrations and the expression of opinions in public about domestic politics.

Equal employment rights are denied to immigrants, even legal ones, even those with green cards.

Only citizens may serve in the military as officers, on airline crews, and chiefs of seaports and airports.

Members of both houses of Congress as well as the Supreme Court must be a citizen by birth.

Immigrants — even legal ones — may not become members of the clergy.

Foreigners, legal or illegal, may not own land.

Any citizen may arrest illegal immigrants and their accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities.

Foreigners, legal or otherwise, may be expelled for any reason and without due process.


Thomas has found a wonderful deal on a little black and white television that you can take camping with you. It costs $15! He has already given a report on how well it works "out in the field". A television would be something good to have when you are out camping in Oklahoma. Especially in the volatile spring time weather. I think I might buy us one.

I'll have a hard time prying the money out of my hands right now though. At this time of year I use any extra cash and spare change that I have on bedding plants...

It's a weakness, I know.


Congress has decided that they need to enact some legislation concerning the donation of tissues and tissue banks. It makes me wonder if they have decided that there could be a problem out there with other body snatchers.

S.2609 : A bill to improve the oversight and regulation of tissue banks and the tissue donation process, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 4/7/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 4/7/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The text of the bill isn't available yet.

I'm wondering what "...and for other purposes" means.

hmmm...


I found out that the government gives members of Congress a whole lot of retirement money. They even have a special scale, just in case you only serve for 5 years.

There's a special retirement program for civil *servants* of the executive branch in the federal government. It's part of the retirement benefits for the members of Congress.

It has it's own formula that multiplies three factors together. One of the multiplying factors being the number of years that you served.

Retiring after 22 years of service with an annual pension of $84,847 probably seems like a struggle for them.

Especially if you are used to making $154,267 a year.

So that's why you can also participate in a program that's called a "Thrift Savings Plan".

Plus, you get your social security benefits too.

They also have automatic COLA's (cost of living adjustments).


This sure does make my little social security nest egg seem a tad small. The way it looks right now, my social security benefits won't even reach the national poverty level.


So I've decided that maybe I should run for Congress. If I could win a seat, and keep it for at least 5 years, I would be a lot farther ahead in this game.

My regular earnings after five years in Congress would almost be the equivalent of me working from now until I retire.

This would also give me an added benefit of having a pension plan to go along with my social security.


The reason why Congress put in this special retirement program for themselves was because it...

...would contribute to independence of thought and action, [be] an inducement for retirement for those of retiring age or with other infirmities, [and] bring into the legislative service a larger number of younger Members with fresh energy and new viewpoints concerning the economic, social, and political problems of the Nation.


Hey, I'm a lot younger than Ted Kennedy and I have lots of good ideas too.


As far as energy goes...

Well, I like to conserve mine if at all possible.


And my viewpoints concerning economic, social, and political problems of the nation...

They just can't be beat.


I'm all for cleaning *The House* with lawn and leaf trashbags...


later...