To The Reader’s Forum:

Now Congress has no speaker. Eight radical Republicans join the Democrats and decide to hold America hostage.

Interesting. I know none of us in Western New York voted for any of them. Now we can wait for the next term to get anything done. Likely there will be a government shutdown in 40 or so days. Then what? It took 15 House votes to settle on Speaker McCarthy. Wow!

Does anybody still believe these people are acting in the interests of the people? I know I’m not alone when I say I’m tired of this.

Now, for the solution none of these guys will vote for. It’s just a pipe dream, really.

First of all, let’s start with term limits, maybe three for the House and two for the Senate. Next, if they really care about a balanced budget, and by the way, there hasn’t been one since Clinton was president, let’s start with their own benefits package. Let these politicians buy their own insurance on the market place like they expect the rest of us to do. Maybe they should use a portion of their salary to pay for their own retirement, it would be OK if we matched up to 6% every pay period.

And, finally, maybe they should have to learn to live on minimum wage. Oh, and if they don’t show up to work, like the rest of us, they don’t get paid.

I promise, if we implement these ideas, maybe they will begin to act in the interests of the people.

West Ellicott