Adam Kayce

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” he told CNBC. “You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.

“The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 – before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

“Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land – all because of public pressure.”

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they’re out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Don’t you think it’s time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

EDIT: Well, I’ve been informed that this is a fake, and not truly Mr. Buffett’s words. To which I say, “Oh well!” Because it’s the thoughts that count – no matter who said it, wouldn’t it be great if these kinds of changes would take place? So, despite the inaccuracy, I’m going to leave the post up in the spirit of positive change, even if the source quoted isn’t accurate. Besides, the New York Times, I ain’t.

My brother was tasked with the real eulogy, so I opted to put my Writing degree (and sense of humor) to work and come up with something that I thought he would appreciate. After all, we were all dressed in Hawai’ian shirts, to commemorate a man who would much prefer the Don Ho look to Armani any day, so not to have something tongue-in-cheek would have been remiss.

And on a completely personal note, this was the most ambitious rhyme-scheme I’ve ever attempted outside of college writing assignments (AABCCB). I’m happy with how it turned out.

A Eulogy Poem

I’ve come to stand before you today
And do my very best to convey
While wearing, of all things, a Hawai’ian shirt -
Some words and feelings about my Dad.
A teacher, an artist – the only father I’ve had,
A man happiest with his hands in the dirt.

A man not much shorter than a giraffe
Was capable of making us all laugh.
His heart was very much an open book.
Anyone that knew him well
Knew the stories he loved to tell
And man — could that ol’ beanpole cook!

So, this is just about the time
You’ve realized that I’m about to rhyme
This entire eulogy…
Don’t worry, sit tight, if you please,
I’ll do my best to minimize the cheese,
And keep it short, in case you have to pee.

George — he was the kind of guy
Who always smiled, laughed, said, “Hi”
He’d make a friend of anyone he’d meet.
His helping hands he’d gladly lend
To anyone — stranger, foe, or friend
And even now, his giving’s far from complete…

It was his kindness that always “drove the bus”
And his heart is now a part of us.
His presence in our lives was certainly a treat.
And I doubt that anyone here at all
Young or old, short or tall
Wouldn’t describe his life’s aftertaste as sweet.

So what I really came to say
About the man we’ve gathered for here today
George was the ultimate people-pleaser.
Everything he did was with love and a smile
Didn’t have to try — it was just his style
And boy… we sure are gonna miss the ol’ geezer.

I love you, Dad.