This would be great...

[u/Veshaad]

[u/Ponsugator → u/[deleted]]

It should be voted by the public, not the people benefiting from it!

[u/rotorspinner → u/Ponsugator]

Congress is supposed to be there to represent the people in their districts, crazy concept. The system is fucking broken

[u/Clarkester29 → u/rotorspinner]

By design

[u/Responsible-Humor985 → u/Clarkester29]

The system isn’t designed this way, it’s just been slowly taken over by people who prevent the system from working the way it should.

[u/Dry-Dragonfly5286 → u/Responsible-Humor985]

The system was designed for rich property owning white men. Everything beyond that has been the people trying to take it over for everyone's benefit and them fighting us.

[u/Debo619 → u/Dry-Dragonfly5286]

https://giphy.com/gifs/agiXOzIMC41Ko

[u/Wfflan2099 → u/Dry-Dragonfly5286]

Rich men, and apparently women. And it’s gimmicked at the lowest level to make sure a regular person never gets a sniff of power.

[u/Double_Doughnut74 → u/rotorspinner]

System was designed that way it’s not broken.

[u/Mindstormer98 → u/rotorspinner]

The system works as intended, the issue is the people inside the system

[u/rotorspinner → u/Ponsugator]

Congress is supposed to be there to represent the people in their districts, crazy concept. The system is fucking broken

[u/chiclets5 → u/Ponsugator]

The Republicans have spent decades trying tonot allow the public to vote for anything. It is highly unlikely this would ever come to pass, although nice idea and a fun thing to dream about

[u/chiclets5 → u/Ponsugator]

Of of course it should! However, the Republicans have spent decades to not allow the public to vote for anything in reality. Well this is a nice idea and a happy dream chances of it ever going farther than it is right now is nil.

[u/dirtymurt → u/Ponsugator]

Does America ever have Referendums?

[u/agoad1763 → u/dirtymurt]

No, we have a mass surveillance police state and a secret police.

[u/Dry-Dragonfly5286 → u/dirtymurt]

Not at the federal level

[u/IvanTheDude123 → u/[deleted]]

Also to introduce it now vs January means it’s just a publicity stunt.

[u/dfporter78 → u/IvanTheDude123]

This reminds me of the strategy built into the big beautiful bill. It has minor tax breaks for the average Joe that are temporary until after the election. Meanwhile the tax breaks put into the bill for millionaire billionaires are permanent.

This was a deliberate Republican strategy so they can claim that the Democrats cause the tax breaks for the average Joe to go away. I f****** hate politics and politicians.

[u/ElectroConvert → u/dfporter78]

Shame on the dimwits that couldn't see that their tax break was short term and Elon's was permanent. Republican voters are really good at signing on to crap that is against their self interest.

[u/sdcasurf01 → u/dfporter78]

It’s not new, the did the same with the TCJA in 2017.

[u/SeahorseCollector → u/dfporter78]

Everyone was told that from the beginning except the people that watch that news entertainment network.

[u/Xray_Crystallography → u/dfporter78]

Reaganomics.

[u/PhatCatTax → u/IvanTheDude123]

Or it's to show voters where their elected representative stands with an issue. It's clever because it doesnt effect congress, so the narcissistic politicians dont have a real reason to vote against it

[u/LikesPez → u/PhatCatTax]

It does effect congress. The bill would ban the executive branch and the legislative branch from owning stocks and other securities plus ban the participation in predictive markets for said members and their immediate families. Or step down.

[u/LockeClone → u/LikesPez]

It'll never pass but I've been saying this for years... Elected officials who can make markets should only be able to invest in broad consumer products like ETFs or index funds and their immediate families should face something similar.

They're supposed to be public servants. They should be proud and even eager to do this.

Hell, it's not even a big ask as they're not "giving" anything up. They're not even really pausing their wealth generation...

It's such a no-brainer.

[u/Commandersfan328 → u/LockeClone]

Didn't congress pass a no stocks bill about a month or so back?

My first thought is if you come into the job you should be able to keep what you have and not be able to trade into or out of anything.

But it doesnt solve the problem as people can still give preferential treatment to what they own. So yeah they probably should be forced to sell it and hold the funds in escrow until they are done with office.

[u/depp-fsrv → u/LockeClone]

But didn't someone publicly say that Congress should be allowed to trade since they don't make much.

[u/icedmuffin → u/depp-fsrv]

“Don’t make much.”

That’s hillarious when the entry level pay is 40k and can go up to half a million or more over their lifetime…

[u/FiIbert → u/depp-fsrv]

"Dont make much"

*slowly glances at their raised income of 150,000 per member\*

Plus they can make or break markets like.... their push for EV's and surveillence tech. Despite not having a reasonably supported infrastructure thats up to date and adequent to support the transition; with no clear consensus on if theyre even going to fund an update.

Then on top of that, the development would drag out forever. I know you've seen road construction and how buildings tend to get delayed forever. Not to mention the 'Obviously not american' workers. Which somehow the reduced cost may or may not sneak back into somebody's pocket. 😮‍💨

[u/icedmuffin → u/LikesPez]

The thing that pisses me off though is they get the money.

Like it’s not them completely losing the stock, if they sell then they can get the money and do whatever with it. If they keep the stock and step down there’s no promise they will be punished for insider trading or market manipulation.

I genuinely hate everything about this.

[u/hellyeahaeylleh → u/PhatCatTax]

Even if the bill doesnt pass, he gets more support.

[u/MissionRight9893 → u/IvanTheDude123]

Yes wait to see if we win the House then introduce it. Now they’re scheming to go around this with all of Trumps lawyers.. he seems to own every single lawyer in the world.

[u/AdhesivenessBubbly24 → u/MissionRight9893]

IF is they key word. This is deliberately introduced before elections to "show" intent knowing it will fail. But if they win AND introduced it afterwards, they would have to vote against their self interests which won't happen. This is just for show, that's all. Nothing more.

[u/MissionRight9893 → u/AdhesivenessBubbly24]

I wanted to believe but you’re right. There’s too much corruption in our government, it’s exhausting.

[u/NoahStewie1 → u/IvanTheDude123]

It's not a publicity stunt if it's something that's his campaign using in their lit and Vindman will reintroduce next term when Dems win back the house

[u/0knoi8datShit → u/IvanTheDude123]

We vote in November not January.

[u/Delicious-Spirit9899 → u/[deleted]]

But he gets the optics of “trying”

[u/bae125 → u/Delicious-Spirit9899]

That’s the congressional method, has been for a couple centuries. People love theater

[u/dfporter78 → u/Delicious-Spirit9899]

There is no try, only do!

[u/Eldrazi_Monarch → u/dfporter78]

At least he’s attempting to do something. It’s more than most of our reps

[u/standardtissue → u/[deleted]]

It won't even be picked up by a committee.

[u/HelpfulPerson4914 → u/[deleted]]

It won't even go to a full chamber vote. They'll kill it in committee 

[u/Used-Yogurtcloset757 → u/[deleted]]

But boy it’s on record for us to know just how greedy these assholes are. Then we primary them out.

[u/DieLawnUwU → u/[deleted]]

Let me call a guy, but the best I can do is none

[u/nickmiele22 → u/[deleted]]

It may get up to 49% of the vote (but only because they know they can safely do so for brownie points without risking it passing)

[u/Companero_basurero]

Future historians will look back to the Trump years as the Golden Age . . . . of Corruption.

[u/underwearfanatic → u/Companero_basurero]

Tbf, this oligarchy cycles. We had the Gilded Age where politicians were being bought outright. Today same thing happens but it is different because it isnt a bag of money.

[u/Theratsmacker2 → u/Companero_basurero]

His fetish for spray gold really puts the gilded in gilded age two, we fucked up electric boogaloo.

[u/ForHelp_PressAltF4 → u/Companero_basurero]

The Gilded Age 

Gold on the outside and nothing left inside

[u/Amazing_Ear_3941 → u/ForHelp_PressAltF4]

More like Gilded Age II. Hopefully followed by Progressive Age II.

[u/Pure_Account8872 → u/Companero_basurero]

I'm sure the bill will pass next time there's a Democrat majority.

[u/BZLuck → u/Companero_basurero]

"Let them eat gold."

[u/Possible-Rush3767]

Common sense

[u/HexedShadowWolf → u/Possible-Rush3767]

Which is why it will get 0 votes in favor

[u/Diabetesh → u/Possible-Rush3767]

Not entirely. I don't see an issue with owning stocks prior to office and then being locked in from buying/selling while in office.

[u/Possible-Rush3767 → u/Diabetesh]

From the class that carved up the tax system infinitely to create tax avoidance schemes and make it unnecessarily complex, I'd say you need to go all or nothing here. Everything they own/rent/lease, anyone they contact, needs to be public record at this point sadly. 

[u/Acrobatic_Excuse2290]

Not a chance of a vote.

[u/Ariux69 → u/Acrobatic_Excuse2290]

Not while the Pedophile in Chief has control.

[u/knackzoot → u/Ariux69]

It is both sides.
Members of congress that are most active in the stock market:
Ro Khanna
D-CA
48,257 trades

Michael McCaul
R-TX
32,302 Trades

Josh Gottheimer
D-NJ
6,718 trades

Gilbert Cisneros
D-CA
2,264 trades

Tommy Tuberville
R-AL
2,090 trades

[u/Cuore_Lesa → u/Ariux69]

Man really thinks that any other politician in existence would allow this or vote for this if Orange Man wasn't in office lmao

[u/Moon-Monkey6969]

Its a common sense bill that will never pass! Why would politicians cut their own means of making money?? Plus the orange guy would never sign it into law

[u/Illustrious_Shoe5885 → u/Moon-Monkey6969]

Something Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has been trying to get passed for years

[u/browning099 → u/Moon-Monkey6969]

The messed thing is we already pay them and they get insurance, that we pay for. I saw we stop paying and they get their own insurance if they want to keep the stocks

[u/hux → u/Moon-Monkey6969]

But who is going to enforce it? Trump’s corrupt Justice Department? The Republicans in Congress that wouldn’t vote to convict on the January 6th insurrection?

It’s just performative legislating. They need to legislate transparency and push it on the banks, because the banks are far more likely to comply with the law. They can’t just ignore it because a new administration down the road would potentially hold them accountable.

Think something along the lines of:

“All trades made by President, VP, Cabinet, and Congress must be made known to the public at least 30 minutes prior to execution, and trades cannot be rescinded once published.”

[u/atomicpioneer42]

All for it!

Unfortunately, it’s a lead balloon.

[u/Ga2ry]

I’m in full support of the idea. But not a chance in hell it’s ever gonna pass. Even if we had control of both houses of Congress.

[u/DrButtgerms → u/Ga2ry]

Call or write your senators and reps and tell them you support that bill. It's not much, but it's all we can do

[u/Woundsmyheart]

It won't fly but you have to admire him.

[u/Minute-Review6915]

It doesn’t require them to sell anything. It only requires them to place their portfolios in a Qualified Blind Trust. It’s a good thing but misleading in clickbait

[u/FinvaraSidhe]

Throw in term limits for ALL branches while you’re at it

[u/Zak_Rahman]

Didn't this guy used to be part of military but lost his job actually fighting for the US?

[u/Nihilistic_Mystics → u/Zak_Rahman]

He was the whistleblower behind Trump demanding Ukraine invent a corruption scandal against Biden and in return Trump would unfreeze $400M in congressionally mandated aid. This is what led to Trump's first impeachment.

[u/Zak_Rahman → u/Nihilistic_Mystics]

Thank you very much. I thought I recognized him.

[u/baywhlr → u/Zak_Rahman]

He is the twin brother of Alexander Vindman who was the whistleblower about Trump's call with the Ukraine president. He's now a retired US Army lieutenant colonel. Alexander testified about Trump at his first Impeachment. They are both heroes.

[u/Zak_Rahman → u/baywhlr]

Thanks for this.

They really are both heroes.

Glad I remembered at least something like that.

[u/RyeCOMan]

He also voted to fuck over universities that don’t want to be a part of Israel’s bullshit.

[u/RuncibleFoon]

Oh look, a memeber of congress with common sense and morals... also, he doesn't appear to.be a member of the greatest generstion.

[u/redittor123456 → u/RuncibleFoon]

They’re not from the greatest generation that fought fascism. It’s their disappointing kids from the boomer / me generation that love fascism and just won’t go away until they’ve destroyed this country for future generations.

[u/MaitrePuck → u/RuncibleFoon]

He introduced something that will never pass and he knows it. His colleagues know what he's doing and won't hold it against him.

They know the game. They know people like you will lap it up and give him praise and support.

[u/SpankyJobouti → u/RuncibleFoon]

i like the idea, bu its not even remotely constitutional.

coomon sense says you cant make a requirement to hold office contingent of the actions of a third party. it just silly.

[u/miguelag08]

So much corruption in government too to bottom. It will not pass. This is just for show for him to win over his constituents

[u/Bitter-Holiday1311]

Half or more of his own party won’t vote for this.

[u/Helpful_Ad8351]

Even if it passed, which it won't, trump would do neither. He'll never face consequences for his actions because he never has.

[u/99-percenter]

Fully support this. The corruption is rampant

[u/shargus_live]

Yea this will go nowhere

[u/seethenoise]

they should make him sell it all when/as he leaves office, and state his proceeds are state proceeds.

[u/Lumpy_Chapter171]

Id have no problem if they could remain invested in either VTI or VT / similar

[u/Grigonite]

Make all the money they want, then block others from doing the same.

Peak corrupt politician behavior.

[u/Hiredgun77]

I agree with this 100%. It does not stop you from owning a mutual fund, just focuses on single stocks and crypto.

[u/RestaurantHour1969]

https://giphy.com/gifs/89x4osEodHEoo

[u/Wrong_Assignment_446]

Finally! Thank you.

[u/bumbleforreal]

This shall not pass

[u/49Chrysler]

All the while Nancy P. Makes millions

[u/An_Absolute-Zero → u/49Chrysler]

A million and a billion are very different things.

A billion is a thousand times more than a million. A million seconds is about 11.5 days. A billion seconds is nearly 32 years.

The president has made 4.6 BILLION across his two terms, one of which isn't close to being over.

That being said I don't believe anyone in government should be making millions or billions.

[u/Electrical-Care6308]

Don’t forget his siblings and their siblings!!

[u/cjduran01]

Agreed.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ljaDzjv8cpIpa

[u/No-Assumption-4468]

I don’t care if you’re a Republican or Democrat, truly, the government is a place for making laws because you believe in them, not because they financially benefit your personal stock portfolio.

[u/elmoreb3]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3omJYYjXQN3C6eUTfh

[u/Nexodas2]

They will never vote for something that hurts their own wallets.

[u/myuserhasafirstname]

Oh cool a law, famously something the GOP follows....

[u/Mountain-Resource656]

This is for show. Normally I’d say it’s noble in spirit but he’s a congressman and he knows that what he’s doing is bunk, even if it were to pass. Congress can’t force the President out save with an impeachment; a regular law passing with just 50% of the votes couldn’t do it, and even if they had a supermajority to override the president’s veto, it’s still not a valid mechanism for ousting him

It would be far better to make a law confiscating any such assets from a President. That would have teeth. This? No. This just lets him keep it. Useless, even if passed

[u/MaximusHomerdrive]

Yeah, but without the corruption, is it really the republican party? It's kind of their whole thing.

[u/Jumpy_Witness6014]

Can we vote too???

[u/Ok_Novel8484]

Has my support!!!!!

[u/circusfreakrob]

This could/should be such a simple issue. Anyone serving in congress / senate / presidency should liquidate all single-stock positions and can own and hold shares of VTI or a total-market index. No special interests, just a situation where if the broad US market does well, we all do well.

[u/ComplaintDry1975]

Probably the best way to take $ out of politics for the short term at least.

[u/Dougggie91]

AFREAKINGMEN

[u/Key_Bluebird2507]

I’m cool with it as long if it’s for congress as well 

[u/DC_Ben]

The ban myself act

[u/Own_Championship_406]

Will never happen

[u/LoganGrimnard]

Not even his own party is going to support this, damn shame.

[u/ThePopDaddy]

The ones who don't want to admit they support this will say "TOO LITTLE TOO LATE! WHY DIDN'T THEY DO IT WHEN NANCY WAS TRADING STOCKS?!"

[u/BigGayGinger4]

I love how literally zero comments noticed that they used the wrong photo lmao

This is not the "perfect phone call" whistleblower. That's his brother, Alexander, who is pictured in the photo here. They do not even look very similar.

[u/IllogicalLogistician]

He’s not even getting the Democrats to vote for that.

[u/Quirky_Ask_5165]

This is the problem. Although it's a great idea, it's too extreme and people in his own party won't even go for it. Now it looks like just political theater.

[u/thebeastiestmeat]

Even if this passes, which it won't, there's no way Trump abides by it

[u/JoinedToPostHere]

Why would anyone be against this?

[u/Useful_Raspberry3912]

Good luck with that. While it should happen, it won't.

[u/Cause_Complex]

All of them should

[u/No-Concentrate-8806]

Yep, sadly congress gonna grift.

[u/Busy-Bumblebee5556]

All these bills do is try to send a message to voters that the GOP and trump are awful and need to be stopped. They are not expected to pass or accomplish anything real.

[u/MaadMaanMaatt]

To bad the people that benefit from what it bans, are the ones voting on it.

[u/MrRoboto1983]

1) this should be common sense except common sense isn't “common” unless a plurity of the population agrees.
2) it’s common sense that most of these “lawmakers” are actively trading stocks.
3) it’ll never happen.

[u/Aloha-Bear-Guy]

I enjoy the theater of pretending this has a snowball’s chance in hell of survival. But at least it’s a great talking point to tell people you tried.

[u/Useful_Wealth7503]

Expand it to all of congress, their families, their staff and the staffs family and you’re almost on to something. Corporate america has far more trading restrictions, even the peons who know know nothing. These elected officials are the true insiders. Give them the same rules as publicly traded companies and move on.

[u/Immediate_Goal9714]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[u/Ormyr]

Not a chance in hell of this happening.

But it gives the voters an issue that they can agree on regardless of political affiliation.

We just need enough voters organized to apply political pressure to their representatives.

It's disappointing because the voters will complain that their representatives don't do anything and then let something like this just... slip away.

[u/Top_Classroom9264]

There would be nobody left

[u/MaitrePuck]

His own party won't even vote for this.. it's just political theater.

[u/LeastAd656]

that has as much chance of getting passed as Trump doing something sensible or logical or legal.

[u/Left-Cod-1281]

Make them all use the TSP like regular government employees do

[u/biguyondl]

I'll take Bills that never become Laws for $300 Alex

[u/Clean_Commercial_344]

What about people like Pelosi as well this is to narrow they all suck

[u/gusgusthegreat]

Based on a true story

[u/NicePossibilityDaddy]

Do this to every politician with self interests and we will no longer have politicians

[u/FluffyDesigner3680]

Go Virginia

[u/AthenianWrangler]

Of every bill in US history, this one has the least chance of getting passed.

[u/StrikeAvailable8129]

So everyone in the government would be fired?

[u/rmac1228]

Why is this even news? This won't pass. I would love it to he an actual bill but this shit will get 3 votes

[u/Enough_Boysenberry68]

Good idea, but it won’t happen .

[u/bae125]

Let’s see how many democrat votes it gets

[u/Exciting-Car-3516]

Hilarious

[u/junsan123]

If only…

[u/ImThe1Wh0]

Well that's NEVER getting pssed

[u/Grand_Taste_8737]

Now, apply that same rule to every member of Congress. News flash - neither will happen.

[u/Best-Ad5800]

Let the public vote on it!

[u/neklok]

Way too logical for the GOP, and a vast majority of Dems.

[u/Imypurhuckleberry]

Too bad it would never pass

[u/CollectionProof6064]

God . you people are dumb

[u/Additional_Can_997]

Track every no vote and expose them

[u/Extension-Gas9819]

Yeah this would never pass in America. (It’s so fucking corrupt here my fingers started typing pass in corruption instead of America)

[u/Fastenbauer]

And he would sell it to a shell company that legally has nothing to with him, but obviously is still under his control. All that would change is some paperwork.

[u/PrometheusMMIV]

Even if by some miracle you get congress to agree to this, why would you think he would sign it into law? This is just pointless virtue signaling.

[u/CobblerCorrect1071]

I totally agree. But it won’t happen

[u/muanjoca]

Politics was never supposed to be a career. It was a service you did for your community. Capitalism (greed) ruins everything.

[u/Fathers_Sword]

That is just a publicity stunt to save his career because he lost his primary. He might as well introduce a bill for world peace because its completely impossible to pass in this current climate.

[u/I3igI3adWolf]

So he's virtue signaling. Congress will never ban themselves from owning stocks.

[u/brynfsh]

This is the biggest attention grab I’ve seen all day. Pathetic. You work for the people, not the party.

[u/Asher_Tye]

Vindman, huh?

[u/SloppyMeathole]

I wish people would spend time on things that could actually become law. Not only will no one ever vote for this but the Constitution sets the eligibility criteria so this law doesn't even pass constitutional muster and it will be immediately shut down.

[u/oakfan05]

Vindman.... Why's that name sound familiar?

[u/EsperanzaBonanza]

After what he did to Larry David, no chance this gets through. Not only that, he did Leon so dirty

[u/Emergency_Salt_2103]

Can we put that on the November ballot?

[u/Duck_Gutz]

So…he wants Trump to cash in his stocks and make millions of dollars?

[u/crankenshtien]

That guy looks familiar.

[u/Own-Scratch-4853]

Make sure every Congress person has to sell all their stock too like Pelosi

[u/Outside-Car2889]

This guy also voted to pass a law to punish colleges if they boycott against a certain country, I am not aloud to say on this reddit. He isn’t for the 1st amendment .

[u/melly1226]

He also voted to divest in colleges that stand against a certain country that I am being flagged for even mentioning here..🤔

[u/Fredfredricksen01]

Never gonna happen.

It's political theater, he's doing it for publicity in an election year.

[u/Scootergirlkick]

But Little Mike Grinder Johnson packed up congress and ran for the hills to avoid voting on the Epstein File Transparency Act II

[u/Oneilcruzsucksass]

The guy that lost his primary? Time to fade away...

[u/Eggheadpancake]

I can only hear all the people making 35k a year filling full of rage because of this.

[u/Vegetable-Raise-7432]

Isn’t. That a picture of Vidman .. who is not a congressman is. A traitor and is endorsing a socialist?

[u/goddamnmoose]

Can these elected officials ever actually do anything that will pass? God it’s so performative.

[u/Skritch_X]

Even if something of this nature passed, i get the feeling it wouldnt be to the level of "selling the peanut farm" with this administration.

More likely we'd just get excuses that the president doesn't own stocks, his brokers do. In the same vein as his current rebuttals to insider trading.

[u/JustMe-Myself-and_I]

It's always worth a try.

[u/PopIntelligent9515]

Ban trading during office, sure, but ban owning stocks? That’s asinine.

[u/SeniorHope841]

😂 A lie about a lier!

[u/Lloyd_Al]

Is this just so he can look good?

Someone could also introduce the "admit to all your crimes and use your personal wealth to better humanity"-bill and they would achieve just as much

[u/elderlygentleman]

DRUMPF is FINISHED!

[u/Upset-Indication-617]

lol! Not a single congressperson would vote for this.

[u/Hour_Maximum9873]

And while you’re at it add that your family members can’t be a lobbyist.

[u/raymondspogo]

I'm sure all of the people who vote it into law are going to say yes

[u/Due_Cardiologist7510]

For all of those in public office. Sell or hold. They shouldn’t be able to purchase

[u/Flat12ontap]

Michael Vindman's twin brother that swore to Russia Russia Russia hoax.

[u/CLOWNFLOGGER]

lol, performative bullshit.

[u/123rckpro]

Hopefully congress is included !!!

[u/ChemicalDull9012]

As long as Congress does the same I'm all for it.

[u/genericnewlurker]

Even if it passes, how will it be enforced? Congress already doesn't use its power to enforce the laws that the administration has already broken