Subject: Congressional Retirement Congressional Retirement This is worth reading, short and to the point! Our Senators/Congressmen do not pay into Social Security, and, therefore they do not collect from it. Social Security benefits were not suitable for them. They felt they should have a special plan. Many years ago they voted in their 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 no matter how long they have been in office, they continue to draw their same pay until they die, except it may be increased from time to time by the cost-of-living adjustments. For example, former Senator Bill Bradley (New Jersey) and his wife may be expected to draw $7,900,000.00 over an average life span, with Mrs. Bradley drawing $275,000.00 during the last year of her life. Their cost for this excellent plan is "0," nada, zilch. This little perk they voted in for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. Our tax dollars at work! Social Security, which you and I pay into every payday for our own retirement, with an equal amount matched by our employer, we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month. Or, we would have to collect our benefits for 68 years and 1 month to equal the Bradley's benefits. Imagine for a moment that you could structure a retirement plan so desirable, a retirement plan that worked so well, that Railroad Employees, Postal Workers, and others who were not in the plan would clamor to be included. This is how good Social Security could be, if only one small change was made. That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan out from under the Senators/Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Watch how fast they fix it!!! If enough people receive this maybe a seed will be planted, and maybe good changes will evolve. Don't forget, our girl, Hillary Rodham Clinton, thanks to the infinite wisdom of New York State voters, now comes under this Congressional Retirement Plan. Talking about the Clinton's, it's common knowledge that, in order for her to establish NYS residency, they purchased a million + house in upscale Chappaqua, NY. Makes sense. Now, they are entitled to Secret Service protection for life. Still makes sense. Here is where it becomes interesting!! A residency had to be built in order to house the Secret Service agents. The Clinton's now charge the Secret Service rent for the use of said residence and that rent is just about equal to their mortgage payment, meaning that we, the tax payers, are paying the Clinton's mortgage and it's all perfectly legal. You gotta love it Is Everybody Happy????????? Now, where do we go to get such a sweetheart deal?
I did not know about this deal. And I am sure most people do not. Here are some quick thoughts. Somebody should tell that to the Chinese. The very next day, they will dissolve the Communist party, I guarantee it. With citizens help, if the media can stay on this topic, we may see some change, but it is unlikely. No wonder all the incompetent people want to be politicians to get a free ride on us!
Hey, wet1 ... Don't they also get free medical care at any government hospital? The Clinton bit is even sweeter than that if I'm not mistaken: He rents the whole floor for his office in Harlem and then sublets a portion to the Secret Service.
Why am I not amazed at this revelation? For years Louisiana has carried the badge of crooked politicians can be had here. But it is a good diversion for the national scene.
Hey Wet1, its sought of the same in Australia. Our politicians get a HUGE superbrannuation payment. More than the Australian citizen who works hard for their super. I think your is rediculous. I thought ours was bad. Since the Early 90's the media has been heckling them about there heavily inflated superbranuation. They always just say that they'll look at it as soon as they can. Well, its the 21st Century and still nothing has changed. However, one of our back benchers wanted the government to pass a law that says a Politician may forfeit that rediculous superbranuation because its ripping off the tax payers who the government relies on for an income. But to no avail. You guessed it, they didn't want that law, because then our politicians would be pressured to excersise that law. So basically, the only thing that Politicians can agree on is to increase their wages and superbranuation. Australia's the lucky country.
Somehow this does not amaze me. The problem with these laws is that the people who make the laws are the ONLY ones who are subject to them. If I could make a law that I got paid more then I would as well. Congress is given full rights at setting their own pay. That is BS and really needs to be stopped. I do believe that congressman need to make a good living so they can fully serve us but this is completely ridicules.
