Okay, I'm just about convinced that we need to use The Constitution to try to bring some reality back into the halls of Congress.
Amendment Proposed: Any congress person with an annual income above the average median income of a family in their constituent district would no longer receive tax payer supported health insurance, but rather the right honorable representatives of the people will be expected to purchase their own fucking health insurance on the open, free market. Congress people making equal to or less than the average median income of a family in their constituent district will be receive a subsidy for health insurance such that they will not pay more than 40% of their take home pay for their monthly health insurance payment.
And before you write this off as just a grumpy rant, I think we just might find some common ground with **gasp** the Teabaggers on this. I bet THAT would get some Congress critters heads spinning, instead of just us being the ones with whiplash.
So, what would it take?
Article 5: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
2/3 of the states = 33
Obama won 28. If we started with those 28, we'd need 5-6 more.
Hmmmmm. Let's look at Congressional Popularity.
Approve 52.4
Disapprove 43.4
RCP Congressional Job Approval
Now, the question is, are YOU satisfied enough with their performance to keep paying for their health insurance while they block you and your family from getting a fair break?
And, what about the 13 Republican controlled State Legislatures? I wonder if some of those grumpy teabaggers might not like to hold up signs saying No Healthcare Insurance for Washington Congress Critters. They are already very good at yelling "NO!" If we couched it as a tax savings? And, I'd certainly be willing to help them spell the words for the signs.
Yeah, I know, I know. And, I'm still calling the White House and getting busy signals. (I have my phone set on auto-redial, speaker phone.) Just thought I'd share what started running through my mind as I heard my +20th busy signal. And this is snark, but if I get to 100th busy signal, I might switch from writing outraged comments and goofy rants to designing a website for a Constitutional Amendment and Googling for cheap, bulk sign supplies. Is all this crazy making, or what?