WASHINGTON - The military retirement system has long been considered untouchable - along with Social Security and Medicare. But in these days of soaring deficits, it seems everything is a potential target for budget cutters. A Pentagon-sponsored study says military pensions are no longer untouchable - they're unaffordable.
CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports high-level, closely-held meetings are taking place at the Pentagon regarding a radical proposal to overhaul retirement for the nation's 1.4 million service members - a bedrock guarantee of military service.
7 comments:
Perfect! They won't touch Medicare or MedicAid, but they'll do this!
Military should be a prerequisite to holding office in Congress or the Presidency. If you haven't served, you shouldn't be allowed to send troops into battle and then mess with their benefits!
9:02, I agree in part with you about the importance of our military and the harms they may have to endure. On the other hand, one can retire from the military after 20 years and receive full benefits for life. If a young man goes in at 19, say, he is eligible to retire at 39. He may very well live another 50 years and, in the meantime, can work at a civilian job. So should the taxpayers support him during his military career and another half century in his retirement? Where will all that money come from? Obviously, military benefits would have to looked at, along with everything else. Where other occupation besides law enforcement allows such early retirement?
Congress has their own super retirement plan and doesn't contribute to Social Security. They have their own special health insurance and condemn everyone else’s. They make high salaries and have huge expense accounts to cover support, office and employees.
The oil companies get 400 billion dollar tax breaks at the time they are making record profits in the billions of dollars. This 400 billion dollars is on the back of the American tax payer.
Warren Buffet is in a 17% tax bracket and is worth 51 billion dollars. His secretary is in a 33% tax bracket.
We have subsidies and tax breaks for corporate jets and give big business special incentives and tax breaks so they can create jobs - What jobs? The one’s they send overseas? We bailed out Banks and they sit on the money and don't want to lend it.
Do we cut any of that? No, we cut Social Security. (Doesn't affect Congress they don't contribute) We take away benefits and retirements that were promised. (Doesn't affect Congress they have their own system) We furlough private and public workers that haven't gotten any raises in years. (Doesn't affect Congress they don't get furloughs and they get automatic pay raises)
It's time we affect Congress and make them have to live and participate at the same level as the rest of us. It is the time to reign in the giveaways to the corporations and the rich. It’s time to stop balancing the budget on the back of the working class and make the rest pay their fair share.
When you want to put your life on the line to protect others who will belittle you after doing so, then you can complain about changing their retirement. It takes a certain person to volunteer and willing to give everything up so you will feel free to make comments like that. Fighting is a young person game, like it or not. Something's are worth the cost.
I have not served or anyone in my immediate family served in the military. I truley thank all who served to give us the peace and freedom we all enjoy.
This is so sad, however it shows how troubled our country's mentality has become. Take away the benefits of those who are risking their lives, but just keep giving those undeserving wastes of space their welfare checks, free cell phones and all the other "entitlements" they currently receive. Yes, there are those who truly need and deserve help, however there are just as many working the system so they can sit home on their backs to have more kids and get a bigger check. What a bunch of f'in morons!
You change the military retirement system then you might as well reinstate the draft. NO ONE will be willing to enlist or enter the military if you alter the existing military retirement!!!!
TideRunner, please get some facts before you go off. Congress does not have a "super retirement plan" and they do contribute to Social Security. Congress has the same retirement and health plans that every federal employee has. Do some research and stop relying on e-mail forwards for your facts.
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