Who Hijacked Our Country

Monday, September 19, 2011

Legislators Shouldn’t Collect Their Pensions Until They’re 66

Betcha didn’t know that members of Congress can start collecting their retirement pensions when they’re fifty.  I didn’t know it until this morning.  But it figures.  These are the same sheltered pampered VIPs who receive every taxpayer-funded (i.e. Socialist) benefit imaginable, while shouting “Bootstraps!” to the rest of us.

So it makes perfect sense — from their cozy little world of fundraisers and limousines — for them to start drawing their own retirement benefits at fifty while simultaneously trying to raise the retirement age for everybody else.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D—Ohio) has introduced the Shared Retirement Sacrifice Act of 2011.  This would require lawmakers to wait until they’re sixty-six (instead of the current fifty) before they can collect their pensions.  Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Sherrod Brown said:

“…I hear lots of members of Congress, especially, particularly conservative members of Congress, say we should raise the retirement age for Social Security…So, my thought there was that members of Congress should not be able to get their pension…until any earlier than a Social Security beneficiary should get theirs.”

Even if this bill doesn’t pass, it’ll be entertaining to hear the rightwads trying to rationalize why they should be able to retire with full benefits at fifty, while the retirement age for everybody else should be raised to 67.  Or 70.  Or 72...or 77...85...

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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not to mention a lot of these people collect pensions from their States as well, as they started as locals. Senators who were congressmen, I believe collect from two different pensions.

It just goes to what I've always been saying. Our total Welfare is being run and judged by people who can vote their own salaries, pensions, and benefits.

They just don't get it.

Erik

September 19, 2011 at 1:35 PM  
Anonymous Jess said...

By the time I can collect Soc Sec the age will be up to "right on yer death bed". I think the age for people my age(30) is 67. Good on Sherrod though, let the pubs yak about how this is class warfare when the peons fight back.

September 19, 2011 at 2:17 PM  
Anonymous Jolly Roger said...

Sherrod is a good guy. I am looking forward to voting for him again in 2012.

September 19, 2011 at 6:54 PM  
Anonymous S.W. Anderson said...

Good for Brown. He's one of the best in the Senate now.

This bill isn't going to pass, but it will be helpful if it causes some of the conservatives Brown mentioned to shut up about messing with Social Security.

September 19, 2011 at 8:27 PM  
Anonymous S.W. Anderson said...

Jess, I don't know how young you are, but try not to worry. The Social Security age for full benefits could actually go down in a few years, at least if Republicans don't get control of everything again anytime soon.

Retiring Baby Boomers are skewing statistics and giving budget planners nightmares now. The country is obviously about to go through a period of heavy drawdown of Social Security and Medicare funds. And Medicare is going to get a workout like it's never gotten before.

Conservatives/Republicans see the stress this demographic anomaly is about to put on programs for seniors as an opportunity to privatize, otherwise ruin or kill off the programs altogether. We must keep the faith and thwart the selfish SOB's' every underhanded move.

Once the boomers bulge is gone the programs should be in good shape for a very long time, and raising the eligibility age should no longer be an issue.

September 19, 2011 at 8:36 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

let them also be required to recieve the same health care they are requiring the rest of us peons to get.

September 20, 2011 at 8:24 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Erik: Oh, they get it just fine. They like things just exactly the way they are.

Jess: If you're still able to breathe and blink, then you need to get out there and get a job and quit whining about Social Security :)

JR: I'm glad Ohio has some good guys to counteract Boner and Kasich.

SW: Unfortunately I don't think Republicans will be the least bit embarrassed or sheepish about clinging to their own retirement age of 50 while simultaneously trying to raise everyone else's retirement age and privatize Social Security. Hopefully the public will notice the hypocrisy.

Lisa: I've said repeatedly that members of Congress should have the same health coverage as the other 99.9% of the country. We should all have the same coverage that they have. If we don't have taxpayer-funded health coverage, then Congress shouldn't either.

September 20, 2011 at 12:20 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

not only tax payer funded Tom but the same access to it with the same "guidelines"

September 20, 2011 at 12:28 PM  
Anonymous Dusty, hells most vocal bitch said...

This was news to me and I find it fucking ironic as hell and damn disgusting..thanks dude. ;-)

September 23, 2011 at 12:04 PM  

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