Social Security

[Trppen37]

My friend sent this to me...as were both in the military and right now here in Kuwait...

Love him or loath him, but he nailed this one right on the> head.............> > By Rush Limbaugh:> > I think the vast differences in compensation between> victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die> serving the country in Uniform are profound. No one> is really talking about it either, because you just> don't criticize anything having to do with September> 11. Well, I just 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.> > 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 U.S. Congress just voted themselves a> raise, and 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 also do not receive> Social Security on retirement because they didn't have> to pay into the system.> > If some of the military people stay in for 20 years> and get out as an E-7, you may receive a pension of> $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed you> in harm's way receive 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.> > "When do we finally do something about this?" > > This must be a campaign issue in 2004.> SOCIAL SECURITY: (This is worth the read. It's short> and to the point.)> > Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during> election years. Our Senators and Congressmen do not> pay into Social Security. Many years ago they voted> in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no > congressperson has felt the need to change it. 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. For example,> former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their> wives may expect to draw $7,800,000 - that's Seven> Million, Eight Hundred Thousand), with their wives> drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their> lives. > > This is calculated on an average life span for each.> > Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. These> little perks 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 > Fund--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 $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 month to> equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!> > Social Security could be very good if only one small> change were made. And 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 and then watch how> fast they would fix it.

What do you think....Im here risking my life while these pple are getting tons to cash.....while im getting didly squat...

[Trppen37]

LOL someone please move this to off topic...

[SmithSR]

Hmm, didn't Tino post this last month...?

-Phil

[krazy skwerel]

Some very interesting points. See's like we all get the shaft but I guess thats just how it goes. Truly a sad state of affairs.

[[Zero-S]]

Yes tino did already post this.