Taylor and Loyola team up on “Contract”
By JR Hoeft | Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 | PoliticsScott Taylor and Ben Loyola are joining forces, sort of.
The two candidates for the 2nd District nomination issued a joint release which describes reforms that they will push for, regardless of who is elected between them.
The “Contract on Congress” (what is this – “take the gun, leave the canolis”?) says:
“No Taxpayer Propaganda Act”
In this age of free, electronic communications, television, radio, telephone and texting, the most outdated expense of Congress is the Frank, where taxpayers get expensive, multi-color mailpieces from politicians and taxpayers pay for every last one of them.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor propose ending the taxpayer funding of these expensive, multi-color political communications.
“End Congressional Pensions”
It’s completely unfair to tax citizens who don’t have wealthy pension plans to pay their Members of Congress to have them. Representatives serve by the will of the people, and rich retirement benefits defeats the purpose of a citizen legislature as designed by the Founders.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor pledge to put an end to rich pensions for the privileged in Congress. Members of Congress must live under the same types of retirement plans like 401(k)/403(b) that are regularly found in the private sector.
“Constitutional Supremacy”
America is the only country where power exists with the people, and through the Constitution the people loan this power to government to accomplish certain tasks. Too often bills pass in Congress with no basis in any reading of the Constitution. Any initiative in Washington should plainly show its Constitutional basis and justification.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor would favor the rule that each bill presented will explain its Constitutional basis.
“The Dozen before Dirty”
Incumbents rarely lose. Incumbents who serve more than six years almost never lose. Committees are controlled by incumbents in districts where they will never be replaced in an election. It breeds corruption.
A dozen years is enough for any representative. No Member of Congress should serve more than 12 years.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor pledge to propose a Constitutional Amendment to limit terms to 12 years and personally pledge not to serve more than 12 years.
“A Pork-Free Diet”
In these days of trillions of dollars of extreme debt and budget deficits that are routinely ignored by Congress, the earmark process must be reformed. Defense-related spending has a firm Constitutional basis, but earmarks for special projects that are beyond the purview of government that are simply used for political patronage and to “bring home bacon” for a district must end.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor pledge to introduce no earmarks and work for a ban on non-defense earmarks.
“No Pay for Overtime”
When was the last time Congress passed a budget on time? We don’t know either. Instead, they pass “continuing resolutions” and “supplemental appropriations” that reward their inaction and usually get loaded up with perks and special interest favors.
Members of Congress should reimburse the Treasury for every working day the budget is not passed on time.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor will sponsor reforms where Members of Congress must reduce their salary for each day the budget is not passed on time.
“End Deficit Spending”
The federal government has been operating on deficit spending for decades, except for the few years during the Republican Revolution in the 90s. Today’s deficits are unconscionable. Government can live within its means. It just doesn’t want to.
We’ve got to stop excusing this deficit spending. No quarter should be asked or given. And Members of Congress should forfeit a quarter of their salary each year the budget is not in balance.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor pledge to propose a Constitutional Amendment to require a balanced federal budget.
“Public Option for Public Servants”
The worst kind of representation is the kind that forces citizens into systems that legislators would never accept. Any health care “public option” plan should require that each elected official be made to take the same option that they are prescribing for the people they represent.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor will require Members of Congress to forgo participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program if Congress passes a “public option” health care plan. They will have to enroll in the same public option they force upon citizens.
“Read Before You Vote”
You can’t effectively represent the voters who sent you to Washington to vote on legislation when you haven’t read it, but Congress does it all the time. Bills that are thousands of pages and amendments with pages in the hundreds can’t possibly be read before it’s time to vote.
Motions to waive reading of legislation pass with consistent success and Members of Congress pass omnibus bills and don’t have a clue what’s in them.
That’s wrong.
Each bill should be read aloud before a quorum of each chamber, the House of Representatives and the Senate, and each member should swear that they’ve read each bill they vote on. Each bill should be online in sufficient time for interested Americans to read as well.
Ben Loyola and Scott Taylor pledge to read every bill they vote on and will listen to constituents who have comments, concerns and suggestions about legislation.
Not a bad, principled document. Will the other candidates follow suit and sign on?
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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Comments
16 Responses to "Taylor and Loyola team up on “Contract”"
I’m glad these two candidates realize we are all Americans, and are all fighting the same fight.
This is awesome to see.
Great statement of priciples and ideas. I really like the idea of doing away with some of the franking privileges. I guess I had never really thought about that it could be changed.
If we are willing to forgo a district-centric viewpoint, and truly paint with a national brush the tough decisions to be made, will they support the carrier’s move to Mayport if it is shown to be a “needs of the Navy” decision and not a political one?
You pose an interesting question superchicken – however at this point in time the expense of getting Mayport ready would seem to me to make it an unwise move at this time, even if it isn’t a political one.
Mostly hype and hysteria. I thought Taylor was better than this. I guess not.
Hype and hysteria? What is hysterical about this? These look like fairly common sense principles regarding the ethics of Congress? Would you argue that these are not problems in Congress?
I would not expect anything less of Scott Taylor. I don’t know Ben as well. Do I think anyone who voted for this last bill to accept this Contract? ____ no!!!!!!
I have a question for you constitutional experts and scholars out there… the sixth article of the Constitution of the United States requires that all in Congress must take this oath:
“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
So if Virginia or any of the other 39 other states get a ruling that the mandate for individuals to pay for health care under the Commerce Clause is unconstitutional, could a legal theory be developed to impeach members of Congress and the President for knowingly passing an unconstitutional law?
By the way we heard of a scuffle that erupted between the Loyola campaign and the Mr. Bowers who is the 2nd District Republican chairman this morning about submission of candidate packages and placment on the ballot. Is there any more information about this someone may have heard?
Thanks, Tim. We’ll look into it.
^^^^ we have term limits called elections
Elections as the inherent term limits? Come on… there are better arguments against their “contract” than that.
You could for a legal theory on that. It would be wrong, and would get laughed out of court… but you could.
Dodo – they would not be wrong, but it would be difficult to PROVE that they knew what they were doing was unconstitutional. Do I believe they do know, yes, can I prove it no.
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