Here is some advice that I picked up via e-mail in the last couple of days:

This advice was sent by a retired State Farm agent!  This system has been apparently been tried and works in every  state.

(Ethel:  I have no idea whether it works or not).

If you get a speeding ticket or went through a red light, or whatever the case may be, you’re  going to  get points on your license and a surcharge on your auto insurance.

This  is a method to insure that you DO NOT get the points. When you get your fine, send in a check to pay for it. If the fine is $79.00 make the check out for $82.00, some small amount over the fine.  The system will then have to send you back a check for the difference.  However, here is the trick:

DO NOT CASH THE REFUND CHECK!  Throw it away!

Points are not assessed to your license until all financial transactions are complete.  If you do not cash the check,  then the transactions are NOT complete. The system has  received its money and is satisfied and will no longer bother you.

This information apparently comes from an unmentionable computer company that sets up the standard databases used  by every state.

3.  How the US Government Could Save Billions of Dollars.

When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers must find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well.

Wall street, and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of “tough decision”, and his board of directors gives him a big bonus.

The US government should not be immune from similar risks.

Therefore:

• Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members.
• Reduce Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Then, reduce their staff by 25%.
• Accomplish this over the next 8 years (two steps/two elections) and of course this would require some redistricting.

Some Yearly Monetary Gains Include:

• $44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay/member/ yr.)
• $97,175,000 for elimination of their staff. (estimate $1.3 Million in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Million in staff per each member of the Senate every year)
• $240,294 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.
• $7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel ear-marks each year. (For those members whose jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion/yr).
• The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and improve efficiencies. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of the country!
• We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what government representative is doing.
• Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established (e.g., telephones, computers, cell phones . . .  to name a few).

Note:  Congress did not hesitate to head home when it was a holiday, when the nation needed a real fix to the economic problems.  Also, three senators were not doing their jobs for the 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all have accepted full pay.

If Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else) in order to collect retirement benefits, tax payers could save a bundle.  Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term.

Summary of opportunity:

• $ 44,108,400 reduction of congress members.
• $282,100, 000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.
• $150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.
• $59,675,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.
• $37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.
• $7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.
• $8,073,383,400 per year, estimated total savings. (that’s 8-BILLION just to start!)

Big business does these types of cuts all the time.

Finally, and possibly most importantly . . .

4.  Some Advice From An Old Saskatchewan Farmer: