TO CONSTITUENTS of NHCD1

If I, Peter Bearse, am privileged to be elected to serve the citizens of New Hampshire’s First Congressional District (NHCD1), then I pledge, as did the Founders of our country upon their signing of the Declaration of Independence, “my life, my fortune and my sacred honor” to fulfill the following provisions of this Compact. It provides a basis for evaluating my performance. It is binding and enforceable. If the provisions are not fulfilled, then either you, the voters, will vote me out or I will resign for lack of my ability to perform.  In any event, I pledge to serve no more than five terms if re-elected.

Note that what follows includes a long list of reforms needed if Congress is to conduct the public's business better and truly become the people's House. NONE OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES IS HIGHLIGHTING THIS NEED -- the meat and potatoes of real change. The list is too long for any one Member or session of Congress to accomplish, but we can start the ball rolling here in our District during this campaign. WE MUST, if we want our to solve big problems and create a better world for our children. 

SO, here is my pledge to you.

v           On matters of life & death, war & peace, and the Constitution, I will vote my conscience, no matter what the drift of majority opinion may be. Specifically:

ü      I have not supported and will not support the Bush doctrine of preemptive war (“wars of choice” like that in Iraq);

ü      My votes will honor the sacredness of human life; and

ü      My votes will honor the Constitution.

v        Excepting the above,  to the extent that preferences of the majority of voters in the District can be known and proposed legislation affects them, I will vote their preferences, not my personal opinions when such legislation comes up for final approval in the Congress. My office will be constantly “taking the pulse” of voters in the District to learn the “preferences of the majority.”

v           To the extent that proposed legislation affects more the lives of those who do not yet vote, such as young children and grandchildren, I will consult with and respect the opinions of voters in the district, but I will vote in light of the best knowledge available on expected future impacts, as well as in light of constituent opinion.

v           Except for the portion needed to pay for living expenses while working in Washington, I will reinvest my Congressional salary to pay for additional services to constituents that go beyond what is typically provided through  Congressional expense budgets; for example: additional information and outreach to people throughout the district, and two additional district offices. [NOTE: No other candidate is making this pledge!]

v           Constituents will receive monthly reports, provided on hardcopy via “snail mail” or via the Internet  (e-mail and website). These will include [unlike the self-promoting “Newsletters” of others]:

ü            Straight reporting of facts that you need to know -- no B.S., P.R., political propaganda, ideology or self-promotion. No “Communications Director”, “spinmeister,” or “P.R.” person will be hired; that is, none of your tax dollars will be used to find clever ways to B.S. you. Straight, matter of fact communication with constituents will be the responsibility of everyone in my congressional office, including me.

ü           Complete, detailed accountability of how the tax dollars you provide to me are being used, in terms of both time and money. You will see, for example, how much money I and my staff are spending on travel, food and entertainment and how much time I am and staff are spending in committee, on the floor of the House, helping constituents and investigating issues, both in NH and Washington. Similarly, on an annual basis: How your tax dollars are  being spent in the overall federal budget, how much tax money is going out of the District and how much is coming back in.

ü           Reports on the congressman’s work with others in committees, where most of the most important work of the Congress gets done or undone.

ü           Access to select flash video, cadcam recordings or video tapes of congressional proceedings that will be posted on YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, et.al.

ü           Excerpts from special investigative reports on major issues that concern voters in the District, plus how to follow up on them.

ü           A lot of reporting that you don’t see in the newspapers – of what really goes on in Washington – in committees, cloakrooms, Congressional game-playing, lunches, dinners and Congressional junkets.

ü           Transcripts and summaries of the Congressman’s townhall meetings.

v           This campaign website will continue after the campaign is over. It will be further developed, with all candidate promo-stuff eliminated, as a resource and vehicle for constituents to interact with each other, and to get together among themselves  and/or with their Congressman over issues, projects, problems, questions, protests and political action(s).

v           I will not rely on lobbyists or other representatives of special interests for money or information.

v           I will rely on groups of NHCD1 citizen volunteers with special concern and knowledge on major issues; for example, a Citizens’ Committee on Social Security, another on National Security, etc.

v           Form letters will earn only canned, form letter replies; individual letters will receive individually  responsive replies provided in the same order in which they were received. No priorities will be assigned on the basis of campaign contributions. The congressman and his staff will attempt to provide replies within a few days of receipt. Any delays in providing replies will be explained [as when a mountain of mail is received on some issue].

v           Townhall meetings will be made much more frequent and more accessible – time-wise, geographically and via public access TV channels. Those who cannot attend in person will be able to participate during the event via Internet web services or afterwards, via full audio-video (AV) and text reporting available online, followed by participation in online forums, blogs, Q&A, etc. via the congressman’s and other website(s).

v           Popular participation in congressional politics, legislative debates and federal government rule-making will be encouraged, assisted and made as easy as possible, at every turn and in every way possible. During my term(s) of office, the voice(s) of the people will be amplified to power brokers and government officials.

v           I will spend more time in the District and be more accessible than my predecessors.

v           Internet technology will be used to the max to help build community, political and otherwise, and to promote collaboration on issues throughout NHCD1.

      As a POLITICAL LEADER as well as your representative, I will fight for changes in both politics and the Congress – changes to improve Congress’ ability to work both with you and for you to solve tough problems.

Political reforms:

ü     A “None of the Above” option on ballots.

ü     Independent redistricting committees.

ü     Tax incentives for political volunteerism.

ü     Spreading democracy worldwide via example, development & disaster assistance rather than war.

Changing the Rules in Washington so Congress can conduct America’s public business better [with quotes from the Heritage Foundation’s analysis of the Congress, entitled “The Ruling Class”]

* Eliminate “all the non-legislative powers with which lawmakers have armed themselves.”

• Term Limits: To serve no more than 5 terms. [NOTE: Term limits have been declared unconstitutional at the federal level but I will honor the limit myself & advocate term limits for state and local elected officials.]
• Session Limits: “Congress compress their year-round sessions into six months of honest work.”
• Cut Staff: Reduce “staff infection.”
• Limit spending and balance the budget: “A Constitutional Amendment is the only way….”
• Make it harder to raise taxes: “Any increase be approved by a 60% majority.”
• Enhance the President’s role in setting the budget: Make “the Concurrent Budget Resolution subject to Presidential approval or veto.” + set spending targets by statute and restore the President’s authority to “withhold (“impound”) spending in excess of established limits.”
• Allow a line-item veto: “This would greatly limit the degree to which conference committees…could be abused to approve unpopular provisions in unaccountable secrecy.”
• Make Congress obey the laws: (because) “The attitude of being above the laws corrupts the legislative process at its heart.”
• Broaden and apply Freedom of Information:
• Establish Fair and Open Procedures:

>> 2/5-1/3 of the House should be able to force consideration of a measure…

>> Eliminate shadow votes that are “deemed” to have been made [e.g., votes on the debt ceiling]…Rule XLIX should be abolished.

>> Do away with “self executing” rules of the Rules Committee.

>> Allow each Party to offer a certain number of amendments of its choice and/or allow a vote on any amendment that has the support of a certain number of Members.

>> Special rules (for complex measures) should require adoption by 3/5-2/3 of Members.

• Stop the abuses of conference committees by…

                  a)      Making instructions to conferees binding, including…

b)      Instructions to yield to the other house.

c)      Require a recorded vote when conferees have ignored an instruction.

d)  Open up conference committee meetings and make transcripts of their proceedings public information.

Revamp the Congressional Committee structure and cut the number of committees -- to enable more and better attention to long-term issues, unintended consequences, “what if” questions and system-wide, cross-cutting issues.