I received an email that suggested we put the politicians on social security. What I found incredible is the lavish benefit they've given themselves for life, costing taxpayers millions of dollars per politician. Now there's some fat that should be cut from the budget. They are not public servants, they are public parasites.
This is what the email said.
2008 Election Issue
GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOC. SEC.
This must be an issue in "2008 ". Please! Keep it going.
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SOCIAL SECURITY:
Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.
Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it. You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.
For all practical purposes their plan works like this: When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries. For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. Younger Dignitaries, who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives.
Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00.
NADA.... ZILCH....
This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds;
"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!
From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, -every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer)-we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after retirement.
Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator! Bill Bradley's benefits!
Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.
That change would be to: Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us then sit back... and watch how fast they would fix it.
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.
How many people can YOU send this to? Better yet...How many people WILL you send this to??
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3 comments:
Ol' Greenspan sure upset the Dems today in his testimony before the Senate - he endorsed private accounts, and made it clear the current system does not work.
Why would you want to start a bill to place all politicians on social security when they have been on social security since 1983?
I'm constantly amazed at the number of postings I find on the internet about this urban legend.
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.
"For years, I've gotten these email alerts saying that members of Congress don't pay into Social Security. You've probably gotten them, too. The implication is simple: no wonder congressmen don't care about fixing Social Security. It just doesn't matter to them, as they are above the system.
Well, these emails are false. Congressmen do now pay into Social Security.
Oh, indeed, congressmen were once exempt, but since the Reagan/Greenspan reforms, they've been required to pay into the system. And they receive Social Security benefits, too.
Yet, the implication of these angry email alerts -- that Congress is above the rest of us -- remains true. Though congressmen are "in," their Social Security benefits are just a drop in the bucket compared to the lavish pensions they've bestowed upon themselves.
For instance, the National Taxpayers Union reports that Tom Daschle's congressional pension will pay him $121,000 this year. If the former Senate leader lives to a normal age -- counting all the scheduled cost of living increases -- he'll rake in a cool $5 million.
He's not alone. Former Senator John Breaux will get $114,000 a year and an estimated $4.1 million lifetime. Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt gets $102,000 this year and likely over $3 million lifetime.
With their gold-plated pensions, Social Security certainly doesn't matter to members of Congress on a personal level.
A Florida Times-Union editorial suggests, quote, "Impose term limits or stop lucrative pensions -- or better yet, do both."
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