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Friday, May 01, 2009

By Rush Limbaugh:

I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're
going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.? If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.

Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.?Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.? Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers. (Actually, soldiers are put in harms way by politicians and commanding officers.)

We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.


You see where e this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?

However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Reconciled1 said...

Wow gotta love the legal system...

Dave C said...

I'm not a big fan of Limbaugh, but he does make you think. The problem with society is that they are always looking for some kind of compensation for their losses! The government wasn't directly responsible for 911 so why should they/we have to pay the death benefits. Chances are, if you were working in one of the WTCs and died, you probably made a decent living, had life insurance, a partial pension/401K and your family doesn't need this ridiculous government subsidy.

Really, I'm sorry it happen, but we need to start moving on-its been 8 years. We live in a constant state of paranoia-look what happened earlier this week when there was a low flying Air Force One flying over NYC accompanied by a F-14! New Yorkers went crazy! They feared for their lives! Now just imagine living everyday in fear of losing your life-that is way our soldiers over seas do EVERYDAY! And their spouses and children worry EVERYDAY! The spouses and families of the 911 victims didn't worry every day they went to work and think that they wouldn't come home. I agree with Rush (that's a first!) that our military and all of those who knowingly and actively put their lives on the line for our country and our freedom need to have much better benefits! Support your soldiers America!

Anonymous said...

So, pay the families money because of their family members were killed in 9-11??? Why? I do not understand this. The gov wants pay because they know the gov was involved and feels responsable?? If the gov pay these families, then EVERY crime that occurs the gov should pay. This is what Im reading and understanding. I agree the military do not get the pay they should but they (we)sign up knowing what is expected. I do not agree with paying family members of 9-11. I am very sorry for what happened but, paying money isnt the solution.

Mardela said...

I'm a veteran of Desert Shield and spent 9 years in the Navy. Not once did I feel the need to be compensated for my chosen profession. I served out of the goodness in my heart. I'm now a 100% disabled veteran and nobody is lining up to give me anything, and although I sure could use it, I would never ask.

The only thing al of us are entitled to are the freedoms that our founding fathers wrote into the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. These things are given to us by God, our creator.

Our country is from what is was founded on, and unless we turn away from the direction we are headed, we will once again be called to action against our own government. Brother once again against brother.

Anonymous said...

Classic example of him blowing hot air. Yes I think too much money has gone out to the families of 911, but he is leaving out the life insurance service members have. SGLI Premium Update: As of July 2008, the Service mens group life insurance Rates will decrease by 7 percent. The new rates will be reduced to 6.5 cents per $10,000 or $27 per month for the maximum of $400,000, this includes a mandatory $1 charge for TSGLI. All service men and women have this insurance. So for him to say they only get $6,000 and only a very small amount per month is wrong. Now a service member could opt not to pay $26 per year for $400,000 they could get less, but if they did that is their fault. It is their for them. The military has awesome benifits. Yes their not perfect, but they are better than anything I have ever had since I got out. Rush hasnt served and when I hear him say how he is so for the troops it makes my skin crawl.

Reconciled1 said...

Mardela,
Thanks. My family and I appreciate your service to our country.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:56pm, the gov't doesn't pay the SGLI, when you were in it was probably mandatory but your LES deducted it and you didn't receive any compensation from it...If you don't think the people didn't have life insurance or pensions in the Twin towers, think again...so we're back to why should they get any more or less than our service men and women in uniform???

Anonymous said...

Rush Limbaugh is a pathetic chicken hawk. His words are meaningless and empty. Yet another wingnut wrapping themselves in the flag and leaching onto the military men and women in an effort to boost his own ratings. Disgusting.

Anonymous said...

The monies paid to the 9/11 families were part of a settlement. They agreed to not sue the airlines for negligence and the gov't stepped in to help save the airlines.

All things are not always equal, including the circumstances. Timothy McViegh was responsible for OKC and therfore the only one liable. The airlines didn't do enough to stop the hijackers and could've been found liable and bankrupted.

Anonymous said...

2:28 your making my point. The 911 victams are getting too much money. And yes military members pay for their life insurance. I have half a million dollars life insurance and it is way more than $26. No amount of money brings someone back or makes the pain go away. But people die everyday, generous people donated to the families of 911, but I dint think the government should be giving anymore money. And my main point is Rush says how much the benifits to military famalies are but leaves out their life insurance. To people that were never in the military and hear him quote those figures is wrongg,

Anonymous said...

Since Rush Limbaugh says this it is probably only slightly corrext. I am not prone to do a lot of research into his facts but just a quick search got me this which seems to be a different set of figures
http://www.military.com/benefits/survivor-benefits/death-gratuity

Bokonon said...

I, just like Rush's fans, get jealous too when other people get money for doing nothing but being losers.

Especially those CEO's paying themselves big bonuses out of our tax dollars and just for being great big losers.

Little losers like me get no respect.