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Politics

Ron DeSantis Renews the Fight to End Congressional Pensions

January 6, 2017 - 7:45am
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis

A Florida congressman launched a bill this week to pull the plug on congressional pensions.

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., starting his third term in Congress, unveiled the End Pensions in Congress (EPIC) Act on Wednesday. DeSantis' bill would ensure future members of Congress do not receive pensions and would prevent current members, including the Florida congressman himself, who are currently not vested in the system, from receiving pensions.

DeSantis, a former law school professor who penned “Dreams From our Founding Fathers," insisted pensions are part of a culture that enables career politicians and not how public funds should be spent.

“Taxpayer-funded pensions for members of Congress are a relic of a bygone era and constitute a waste of taxpayer funds,” DeSantis said on Wednesday. “Taxpayer-funded pensions promote careerism in Congress and shield retired members of Congress from living and working under the laws that they pass."

Making his case for ending pensions, DeSantis echoed President-elect Donald Trump. 

“Ending pensions for members of Congress will help reform the culture of Washington and will help to drain the swamp,” DeSantis insisted. 
 
Now starting his third term in the U.S. House, DeSantis is pushing political reform in the first week of the 115th Congress. 

Following through on an announcement they made in last month, on Tuesday,  DeSantis teamed up with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to introduce a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution imposing congressional term limits. The proposed amendment limits members of the U.S. House to three two-year terms and members of the U.S. Senate to two six-year terms. 

DeSantis has been mentioned as a possible candidate for higher office with some speculation that he could run for state attorney general in 2018. Last year, DeSantis launched a bid for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race. DeSantis scuttled that bid after U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., decided at the last moment to seek a second term. Instead, DeSantis ran again for Congress, winning a third term in November. 

 


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Comments

That's a great start. However it would be a better idea for each state to develop a retirement plan/program(if they desire to do so) for their Representatives and Senators; afterall their first allegiance should be to the people and government of their home state. This includes the home state providing their medical care, salary, transportation to and from their home state, staffing, paying for official travel on the "Federal Government's dime," etc. The Legislative Branch would not receive any "perks" from the Federal government except an office and furniture to go with it. This would make both houses of congress "honest brokers" concerning ALL fiscal legislation. As far as term-limits, let each state determine that issue... after-all their state will be paying their retirement/pension. Just an idea to curve corruption and the abuse of power.

Abolish the 17th Amendment (1913), and return to the Founders concept of State Legislatures 'choosing' their two Senators,.... and we will END the unaccountable "Rockstar status" that Senators have now wallowed in for over a hundred years; They enter the Senate poor & humble, practice 'legal' insider stock-trading (you know, the very same act that put Martha Stewart in prison) and retire "rich beyond YOUR imagination" (think: "room-temperature I-Q types" like Alphonse DaMato or Hillary Clinton and many many others). THEN, to add insult to injury, they become media "talking-head camera hogs" and/or become Lobbiests earning many multiples of their Senate salaries. (Can you spell "C-o-r-r-u-p-t-i-o-n"?) "DRAIN THE SWAMP !"

HEAR, HEAR !!!!! WHAT A GREAT IDEA (AND FROM A BUDDING "STATESMAN" YET)!!! Serving in Congress was NEVER meant to be a "lifetime appointment to a primary position sucking on the government mammary"! THAT "position" is reserved for Warriors, Police Officers, "First Responders", and other TRUE SERVANTS who serve for 20 PLUS YEARS or more... NOT for 2, 4, or 6 years as a failed lawyer (without portfolio) "living high" on the "government dime" without risking a hair on his or her head (or a hair of theirs that falls to the floor in the 'free' Congressional barber or hairdresser; OR in the Congressional Cafeteria). [DeSantis, by all rights, should be sitting now where the fraudulent Marco Polio is sitting and polishing his Senate seat !]

I could see them getting a pension if they serve 10 years to get it vested just like the rest of us, but 2 years is stupid. DRAIN THE SWAMP.

We in the private and state sector do NOT work 10 years and then retire and draw our full income for the rest of our lives. If a teacher retires at 10 years, they only get a small percentage of their income as retirement. NO ONE should be full retirement after only working 10 years.

Our poor politicians feel entitled to raping and pillaging taxpayers with over-the-top healthcare pensions and benefits claiming to be professional politicians. Daily the fight Essex accountability and full disclosure to the public. They are given special privilege with disdain towards voters always with a handout looking for a contribution. To those who commented above bravo.

Great idea...never pass with that group of entitled bozos...

Put them, and ALL government workers into Social Security and Medicare. Wait and see how fast those programs get fixed and funded. They should also pull the subsidies Congressional aides receive for Obama Care. Their wages are much higher than the maximum allowed for the rest of America.

Agree.. work 2 years get paid for 50 more is ridiculous

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