Enough about the other guys heres what WE are up to

In 2012, on Constitution Day (September 15

th
), an important document was signed symbolically for the
first time. This action was taken in front of Independence Hall, with hundreds of onlookers present,
including a detachment of the Sons of the American Revolution, in FULL regalia. The Main-Stream
media chose to utterly ignore it. Why?
The proposal of the Change the Rules pledge was our way of using the Constitution to defend against
undue influence in Politics - SPECIFICALLY as a means of thwarting the wildly unpopular Citizens United
v Federal Election Commission decision by the Supreme Court.
The Court rendered their decision on the basis that political speech was protected by the [First
Amendment], <Ill explain the square brackets in another post> , and, further, that political DONATIONS
were to be treated as an expression of speech.
What remains to be done about this that doesnt dilute the [First Amendment]? In other words, barring
a re-write, how do we take the money out of politics, where wealthy lobbyists can dilute the power of
YOUR vote, in an Orwellian some are more equal than others manner?
A simple and elegant solution was proposed by the Democratic-Republican Organization of New
Jerseyand forwarded privately to ALL 435 voting Members of the House of Representatives and all 100
Members of the Senate.
Each of the two Legislative bodies sets its own rules of conduct at the beginning of each Legislative
Session. These Rules of the House and Rules of the Senate may be modified during the Congress,
but such modifications are rare, indeed. Most recently was House Resolution # 368 of the 2013
Congress. The ramifications of that are explained well here - http://www.ibtimes.com/government-
shutdown-2013-hr-368-little-rule-change-house-republicans-guaranteed-federal-shutdown
I sincerely hope we didnt give them a reminder of that powerful tool when proposing the Change the
Rules pledge, but, sadly, it may have been a factor using good to do evil.
When elected to Congress, you are guaranteed only three things. You are guaranteed to be seatedto
be able to introduce legislation, and to vote in the Committee of the Whole. Thats it.
Trouble is, all the dirty dealing insertion of inapplicable codicils of an unrelated nature to the original
bill, and pork - happens in the legislative committees long before they come before the
Committee of the Whole.
The legislative committees of the HOUSE, for example, are shown here (links)
Agriculture
Appropriations
Armed Services
Budget
Education and the Workforce
Energy and Commerce
Ethics
Financial Services
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
House Administration
Judiciary
Natural Resources
Oversight and Government Reform
Rules
Science, Space, and Technology
Small Business
Transportation and Infrastructure
Veterans Affairs
Ways and Means
Intelligence
Joint Economic Committee
Joint Committee on the Library
Joint Committee on Printing
Joint Committee on Taxation
The House committees consider bills and issues and oversee agencies, programs, and
activities within their jurisdictions.
What if there were a rule, whereby a Congressman could not sit in a voting
capacity on a Legislative Committee where he or she could directly benefit an
individual or corporate donor?
In other words, if he or she took money from a K-Street lobbying group for Big Oil, he
or she could not then serve on the Natural Resources committee in a voting capacity.
Think about that, for a moment. Why would a corporation give big dollars to a
Congressional campaign if they got NO bang for their buck?
Short answer? They wouldnt. Now, maybe if they just thought their former pawn were a
great guy.nope. Not going to happen.
We already have the ELEC system in place, which documents where the money received in a
campaign comes from. Weve seen, here in New Jersey, a specific company take
extraordinary steps to conceal the influence purchased that company was Birdsall
Engineering. The Scarlet Letter B now taints many holding office to this day but the
media, bought and paid for by the party bosses, no longer discusses it, and the investigation
has all but disappeared from public view if, indeed, it is continuing at all. Neither the
Democrats nor the Republicans can afford it, because, for them, here, there be dragons.
The beauty of this proposal lies in the separation of powers. Within the HOUSE and
SENATE chambers, the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction only the HOUSE RULES and
SENATE RULES apply.
The Change the Rules pledge, if adopted, would be non-justiciable. Forgive my
disrespect, but the nine black dresses hold no sway in those chambers.
I am shocked, at times, when I realize how many people are unaware that such a rule does
not already exist.
It can. I wouldnt vote for any legislator who wouldnt sign the Change the Rules pledge
and neither should you.
Here it is, in black and white
I, <candidates name>, PLEDGE TO INTRODUCE and see through to adoption a
change in the RULES of the House of Congress in which I am sworn to serve, such that
NO CONGRESSMAN or SENATOR in that body may sit in Legislative Committee in a
voting capacity where that position might offer an opportunity for undue influence by a
campaign donor.
Remember, both offices are guaranteed the right to introduce legislation, so committee
assignments could still be held by those who accepted their 30 pieces of silverbut they
would not have any decision-making capacity.
It wont block ALL the dirty deals but it sure throws a wrench in the works for the
lobbyists, doesnt it? If severe enough penalties are attached, it would work brilliantly
AND the Supreme Court could do nothing about it beyond guaranteeing its enforcement.
Separation of Powers is a tool in the tool box and I am one who tends to use every tool,
and every rule.
A current version of the Change the Rules Pledge will be made available for each sitting
legislator and each candidate to download, print, sign, and post to their web-page.
If they wont do it dont vote for them*.
Stand for whats right, or settle for whats left Frederick John LaVergne, Democratic-
Republican for Congress, New Jersey Congressional District Three, 2014

* Every single incumbent Congressperson and Senator received the Change the Rules Pledge at their
Washington Office in 2012. I know. I personally made that happen. There was utterly no response.
They will be given the opportunity again this Fall, before the election. We will post on our web-site
who respondsif anyone, indeed, does.