Mark Neumann Wants Term Limits for Congressmen
Assemblymen Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, and David Craig, R-Big Bend, endorse the former congressman in his U.S. Senate race. Neumann also proposes removing benefits for retired Congressmen turned lobbyists.
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U.S. Senate candidate Mark Neumann called for reforms in Congress Monday morning when he announced his plan to “clean up Washington” during a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Waukesha.
Neumann, who is running on the Republican ticket to replace the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl, said his plan has three major parts:
- enacting term limits,
- requiring federal legislation to specifically state where in the Constitution the federal government receives its powers, and
- removing benefits for retired members of Congress who become registered lobbyists.
“Those are the three policy changes we think would go a long way toward cleaning up Washington, D.C.,” Neumann said.
Neumann is running in the fall election against a full Republican field, including former Gov. Tommy Thompson, state Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald and Eric Hovde. The Democratic candidates include Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.
The U.S. was founded on a premise that the country should be run by private-sector citizens who serve for a specific time period, Neumann said, which is why he wants to enact term limits for members of Congress.
Neumann’s proposal for an Enumerated Powers Act focuses on the 10th Amendment. Neumann said that if the Constitution doesn’t give the federal government the power to enact certain legislation and policies, “the responsibility belongs to the states, and more importantly, the people.”
The plans to eliminate benefits for members of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who leave their elected positions and become lobbyists by using their government contacts would affect about 400 former members of Congress, according to a news release from Neumann. Some of these lobbyists are making millions in their work, he said during his news conference.
“Taxpayers are no longer going to supplement the income of lobbyists and special interest groups by supplying pensions and health insurance benefits,” Neumann said.
State Legislators Endorse Neumann
Meanwhile, Neumann also announced Monday the endorsements of Wisconsin assemblymen Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, and David Craig, R-Big Bend.
Thiesfeldt, who was present at Neumann’s news conference, said he was proud to endorse Neumann.
“I think Mark Neumann has a great record from his years in Congress back in the Republican revolution of 1994,” Thiesfeldt said. “He established a strong record of being a budget hawk and had the great accomplishment of being able to get the budget balanced in the United States government. That is something that we need in Congress today.”
Bren
2:06 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
1. We already have term limits for Congressmen: it's called the vote.
2. Do we really need federal legislation to legislate how the federal government legislates?
3. People who take jobs with benefits attached should be able to keep them without strings. In the case of elected officials I would favor that benefits would be lost for treason.
Talking term limits, I believe the U.S. should look at federal Supreme Court Justices. Lifetime appointments are supposed to relieve them of partisan interests and activism.
$$andSense
9:57 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
“1. We already have term limits for Congressmen: it's called the vote.”
Term limits are a good thing. One term, one turn and you are done. Wait out one term and get re-elected if you are that valuable to the taxpayer. Votes still matter each term.
“2. Do we really need federal legislation to legislate how the federal government legislates?”
Absolutely. Running Congress like private business where the board members vote their own raises and benefits is ludicrous.
“3. People who take jobs with benefits attached should be able to keep them without strings.”
Not their spokesperson, but convince the public sector employees of WI of this.
“In the case of elected officials I would favor that benefits would be lost for treason.”
Bribes to exempt special interests like badge unions giving them a pass on ACT 10 due to campaign contributions isn’t treason. Just business as usual? Right? Treason versus corruption, a sell out either way.
“Talking term limits, I believe the U.S. should look at federal Supreme Court Justices. Lifetime appointments are supposed to relieve them of partisan interests and activism.”
No more lifetime appointment for them either. Throw them under the bus too.
Brett Hyde
5:48 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The problem with the current system is that it is too easy for congressman to continually reelected. Thanks to seniority and earmarks, once you do lose a Representative or Senator, the incoming congressman starts from scratch. You end up with people like Robert Byrd or Strom Thurmon who, for no other reason than they have been there a long time, possess quite a bit of clout that voters are reluctant to lose.
Bren
2:41 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Also, how will any of these great ideas help create jobs or bring jobs home? Those are the issues that will help our country most.
CowDung
2:45 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Term limits would increase the rate of turnover in congress, wouldn't they? High turnover means more jobs...
Greg
2:53 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
I'm not a real fan of Neumann, but these are ideas with merit. He did not propose this as a jobs initiative, just some ideas that he feels strongly about. Having ideas is not a bad thing in my book.
Bren
5:58 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
I'm not so much in favor of term limits for Congressmen because I believe there is something to be said for having seasoned professionals on board. I understand that historically, it was difficult to get good people to run without pay and/or benefits provided. I think offering pay would be fine; I don't think elected officials should receive benefit packages that are better than what constituents receive. A new way to stop the lobbying problem is an extended no-compete clause. 10 years perhaps.
Greg, there's nothing wrong with ideas, but there's a time and a place. I'd be satisfied to focus the ideas on helpful things. Like jobs. Ending Citizens United. Holding Wall Street financially accountable. Etc.
Heather Asiyanbi
4:19 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
I don't know about his idea regarding the Constitution, but term limits and putting restrictions on the conditions for receiving a pension are worth exploring.
Jay Sykes
7:06 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
If I am reading this correctly, it sounds like each and every piece of legislation will need to have a 'powers granted by the Constitution' statement/explanation to 'identify' the specific 'enumerated power' Congress relied upon to create that legislation.
Why would we -not- want to include this type of statement in every piece of legislation that Congress writes.
Keith Schmitz
8:15 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Surprising that Alfred E. Neumann would want his buddy Jim Sensenbrenner to do something else than show up (not serve BTW, because he serves no one) endlessly in Congress.
Since Neumann is not a deep thinker, this issue will keep his mind off of cow farts for a while.
GearHead
8:24 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Are you suggesting sleepy Herb is a deep thinker? Tammy Baldwin? Falk? Klopp? Barca? Larson? Barrett? Moore? I hate it when you say something so deep yourself that it makes my morning milk run out of my nose!
Bren
1:14 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Gear, Senator Kohl has done a great deal for education in Wisconsin and the U.S. He isn't the self-congratulatory press-conference sort of man, however. There's nothing to suggest that any of the individuals you mention lack intellectual heft.
The Anti-Alinsky
4:35 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Bren, what exactly has Senator Kohl done for education? Can you cite a law that he proposed or funding he gained for Wisconsin?
Pete
8:22 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Does anyone think these career politicians and going to vote themselves out of a job? Mark Neuman should save his money and stop running for office. His ideas sound good but will never go anywhere in the house or senate. After the Obama experiment America the federal government will never be restricted by he constitution. The socialist will just interpret the constitution to fit their ideas as Obama does with every executive order and bill the and the socialist progress liberals in the house and senate pass into law. We are the Greece of the western hemisphere. Thank you Mr President you have served your purpose.
Mike
8:24 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I agree that term limits would force congress and the senate to work "For The People" and not special interest groups. You have 4 or 6 years to get in and complete your service then you are done. I also believe their salaries should be reduced substantially to around $75k per year and have no health insurance benefits at all. No pension plan, nada. You serve, do your service and then go back home to your familiaes or job. This crap with what is going on in DC is disgusting. All politicians are bought and it needs to stop.
C. Sanders
4:35 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Completely in favor of terms limits & no pension for elected officials.