You mark my words Folks, if they get even an inch with such tactics, Police Officers and Firefighters WILL be next. Even the THOUGHT of such unbelievable creativity.
The proposal being discussed is doing away with early retirement AFTER 20 years of service for our military personnel. Remember, these are the men and women who risk their lives to defend our country.
That being said, IF Congress wants to even consider such a proposal, well, I say, put your ba((s on the line as well and practice what you preach. Make the SAME proposal to politicians starting with Congress, Senators, Delegates and the whole nine yards because let me assure you, it will trickle down to local levels of law enforcement, then teachers, you name it.
I want you to think hard about what I'm about to say. It is our POLITICIANS who got us into this financial mess and I'll be damned if I'm going to sit idle while they take away from the very core of our being in these United States and reduce ANY benefits to cover their ASSES.
As Aretha Franklin put it best, "YOU BETTER THINK"!
23 comments:
Start cutting pensions for the president, congress and the house first.
20 years in military deserves a pension. 4 years in politics does not.
This is why our country is in a fiscal mess. People like you complain pretty loudly about all the federal spending and then you complain when they try to address it.
Government employee benefits have to be reduced to fix our fiscal problems. Extending generous benefits to federal workers is a key way the politicians got us into this mess. That and extending generous benefits to people on Medicare and Social Security. All these people will need to live with reduced benefits if we are ever going to see a balanced budget.
The proposal isn't going to do away with soldier's retirement benefits. It's going to put them on a defined contribution system where the government isn't on the hook for open-ended future benefits. Plus, soldiers who serve fewer than 20 years will be able to get retirement benefits. It's a good deal for military members who will control their retirement instead of leaving in a failing federal retirement system.
Soldiers aren't getting screwed here. Unless we change the retirement benefits for all government workers -- including soldiers, firefighters, and police -- the taxpayers will be the ones getting screwed.
And, btw, members of Congress get the same retirement system that every federal employee gets. It should certainly be changed, but it's not like a member of Congress gets some sort of special retirement benefits. And even if you did away with all the retirement money for members of Congress, it wouldn't do anything to solve our federal deficit.
Pensions need to be cut and put in perspective to private industry where 401K's have been the norm for decades.
Working 20 years is a joke... we as humans are not dying early in life, but living to 80 and beyond.
Cut Cut Cut
Yes as matter of fact,Firefighters and Police should be next,lets get it done now!!!
Face it were all screwed and the only way out of this mess is to vote the bums out.
I think privatizing military pensions is a good idea provided the government provides a dollar for dollar match for our military hero's contributions.
Let me ask ALL of you commenters this. Would YOU rather have a retriement plan the way it is now for the armed forces, or would you rather take all those risks millions upon millions of Americans have LOST with 401k's and the stock market?
The answer is, these people took an OATH to serve and now its OUR time to protect.
I personally will not stand for this. IF the market was in such great shape as many of you wet pants liberals believe, then why doesn't our GOVERNMENT invest into those 401k's and MAKE money?
Because they're NOT STUPID. Wake up, Idiots.
I believe the politicians have stooped to a new low. Leave the Military alone.they are the ones saving alot of you candy assed liberals.
To the new low? Didn't Bush want to privatize social security?
Also, liberals do not believe that any government guaranteed income should be privatized.
Joe, of course if I were a government employee I'd love to have a cushy retirement plan. I'd love to work at a job for 20 years and get full retirement. But you seem to forget that we, the taxpayers, are the ones paying for this retirement plan. We, the taxpayers, can't afford to fund such a generous system.
I love how you call all of us fiscal conservatives supporting this "wet pants liberals." In fact, you are the one sounding like a MoveOn type by defending government pensions and attacking efforts to limit spending.
All government employees, including soldiers and police and firefighters, should have defined contribution policies. These retirement plans limit the amount of money that taxpayers are responsible for. The employee gets to be in charge of that policy, it moves with that employee when he changes jobs, and he can pass it along to his kids if he dies. It's a better system for both the taxpayers and workers.
I'm sure that for standing up for fiscal and personal responsibility you'll call me a "wet pants liberal" or an "idiot." Resorting to name calling is a pretty good indication that you don't have either the facts on your side.
Bush had to come up again you butt!
His idea was to stop giving the government the money to squander and let us save it ourselves. you say we are not responsible enough to do this? Well neither is our government. I agree Social Security is the biggest rip off of all time! we should stop contributing and do our own saving! I am contributing to something i will never see! and those who have contributed in the past are not going to get it back either with the cuts proposed. At twenty years those GIs have earned their pension many times over! Wake up people your government is screwing you and your not getting any kisses with it!
Because they're NOT STUPID. Wake up, Idiots.
August 16, 2011 3:37 PM
Thank you Joe, you saved me the trouble. Some of these people believe anything the gubment tells them.
They actually believe the gov can invest and make money? HA! If that were the case, we wouldn't have a deficit in the first place.
Second it would take fiscal responsibility and discipline. Again, failure.
Members of the military are not paid ENOUGH as it is. Their pension is one thing they look forward to and DESERVE.
The rest I won't address because quite frankly I didn't pay any attention to it. Most was a repeat of what some pol told them.
We are hemorrhaging money and they wanna fix the pin pricks. Keep calling it like it is. An idiot is an idiot.
As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.
Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.
The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.
According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
Presidential Retirement and Maintenance
Under the Former Presidents Act, each former president is paid a lifetime, taxable pension that is equal to the annual rate of basic pay for the head of an executive federal department -- $199,700 in 2011 -- the same annual salary paid to secretaries of the Cabinet agencies.
Each former president and vice president may also take advantage of funds allocated by Congress to help facilitate their transition to private life. These funds are used to provide suitable office space, staff compensation, communications services, and printing and postage associated with the transition. As an example, Congress authorized a total of $1.5 million for the transition expenses of outgoing president George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle.
The Secret Service provides lifetime protection for former presidents who entered office before January 1, 1997, and for their spouses. Surviving spouses of former presidents receive protection until remarriage. Legislation enacted in 1984 allows former Presidents or their dependents to decline Secret Service protection.
Former Presidents and their spouses, widows, and minor children are entitled to treatment in military hospitals. Health care costs are billed to the individual at a rate established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Former Presidents and their dependents may also enroll in private health plans at their own expense.
If your not a donor to the Democrat party you have a target on your back.
Secret Service Protection
Former presidents who entered office before January 1, 1997 and their spouses get Secret Service protection for life, unless they choose to decline it. Surviving spouses of former presidents get secret service protection until they remarry. (18 U.S.C. 3056 - Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service
Ok, if we are going to talk about the military retirement plan lets discuss all that military members must endure to earn a 20 year retirement.
Basic training, which if you are current are former military you will understand, all non military persons go watch a war movie.
Try to get a non-military government employee to go through a re-assignment every several years. For you who have never been in the military a re-assignment means you pack up mom the kids, pets and all your personell belongings and hit the road.
Lets ask our elected officials to be re-deployed to a war zone ever 12 months.
If this idea goes forth then every government employee to include the President, Senate and House members MUST be a part of the same plan.
Why is it that every time the government local, state and federal want to scare the hell out of civilans they threaten loss of those who protect us.
If you support this idea I would suggest you go visit a military recuter tomorrow and put your sorry ass on the line.
R.Hunter Nelms
4:05 Excellant Answer!
I do hope they leave the Elderly alone we can't go out & make extra income!
lol That idiot has obviously never been in the military. And he thinks cutting their pensions will help the deficit?
I think the U.S. spends about 46 billion a year on pensions. It may sound like a lot but we are talking about what, 14 TRILLION in debt?
After 20 years mil. members get 50% of whatever they pay rate was as retirement. 35 years get 83.7% ( or something close ) of their pay as retirement.
An E-8 makes 4691.70 a month after 20 years. That's 56,300.40 a year. 50% is 28,150.20 a year retirement, before taxes.
He's not gonna get rich on either pay rate. Over 36 years he earns 5411.10. A big 719.40 difference.
The president by contrast makes 450,000 a year plus expenses. He gets retirement even if he resigns. He and his family get secret service protection for at least ten years. Children also get it until they are 16 years old. His wife will receive it even after he has died until she remarries or dies.
I ask you, who is more deserving?
Go tell a vet his pension is too much. He doesn't deserve what he gets. His and her sacrifices are not worthy. I dare you.
I have seen families in the military have to get food stamps just to eat. And you want them to have less?
Anyone who protects me, whether it be military, police or firemen, I want them to be happy. I want them willing to put themselves in harms way for my sake and my family.
I bet you have one of those yellow ribbons or whatever to show your 'support' for the troops but yet, you don't support them, or at least, don't want to.
I think I have said enough. Sorry to drag it out but it just irks me that people want to take from those who give so much and sometimes give it all.
Next time you see a soldier, shake his hand, buy him lunch. He deserves it. Peace.
7:38 PM
Good post.
4:05 Excellant Answer!
I do hope they leave the Elderly alone we can't go out & make extra income!
August 16, 2011 7:59 PM
Talking to yourself again?
Way to go Hunter! These local politicians have no clue what its like to go without a boday.
I don't even like this guy but I agree with him on this:
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 Septem ber 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 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. I f 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.
Salary of President.............................. $400,000 + Pension for life
Salary of House/Senate .......................$174,000 + Pension for life
Speaker of the House ............ $223,500 + Pension for life
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders ...... $193,400 + Pension for life
Average Salary of Soldier deployed in Afghanistan: $38,000 + ???
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