Monday, November 4, 2013

More re: Gov salaries, etc

Just want to be sure this update on GOV salaries, etc, from Anonymous gets properly posted.  Thanks for this further info.


To Me
Today at 2:12 AM
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "INTERESTING SOLUTION. . . .still making the rounds...":

Warren Buffet did say one part of what is in the email but he did not come up with the whole thing. http://www.jrn.com/kmtv/news/132822733.html

Salary of retired US Presidents, $180,000 FOR LIFE
FACT: The Former Presidents’ Act says former presidents are entitled to a pension ($199,700 as of 2012), a staff and office expenses, medical care or health insurance, and Secret Service protection. http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-249.pdf

Salary of House/Senate members, $174,000 FOR LIFE
Salary of Speaker of the House, $223,500 FOR LIFE
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders, $193,400 FOR LIFE
FACT: Members of congress do not get salaries for life unless they keep getting elected. Their retirement plan is like any other federal employee. Prior to 2012, they could retire earlier than other federal employees but had to pay more into the plan each year in order to get that benefit. As of 2012, the average retirement annuity (pension) received by retired congressmen was $40,560 a year, with the average number of years having worked for the federal government being between 16 to 21 years, and their average age being between 71 and 76 years.
http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid='0E%2C*PLC8%22%40%20%20%0A

The last pay increase congressmen got was in 2009, when their salary was raised from $169,300 to $174,000. All their pay increases since then have been frozen because of economic conditions. The only exceptions to this pay rate are that the Speaker of the House gets $223,500 and the President pro tempore of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate get $193,400. Members of Congress only receive salaries during the term(s) for which they are elected. Keep in mind, out of their salaries, congressmen have to maintain two homes, one in their home state, and one in Washington, plus they have to travel back and forth constantly. When all this is considered, it is a crappy paying job. http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/97-1011.pdf

1. No Tenure / No Pension, Congressmen collect a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.
FACT: The pension plan congressmen have is the exact same one any federal employee has. Put in 20 years and earn a pension.

2. Congressmen (past, present & future) should participate in Social Security.
FACT: Congressmen have to pay into social security just like the rest of America does.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
FACT: That is the way it already is.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
FACT: Congressmen cannot vote themselves a pay raise. Their pay raises are calculated according to the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 and cannot exceed the pay raises for General Schedural (GS) federal employees.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
FACT: Congressmen have the same health care options any federal employee has.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
FACT: Congressman have no special protections if they fail to abide by the law.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/13. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
FACT: Congressmen don’t have special contracts. They get elected, they enjoy whatever benefits federal employees get, and if their constituents want them back again, they relect them, if not, they elect someone else. 

3 comments:

jimm said...

Gosh, it must be a tough way to make a living. Poor souls!

JustinO'Shea said...

JIMBO. . .you break me up. . .your pity is so feigned. . .ho ho ho. .

justin

GreginAdelaide said...

Well, that sounds like it is the same here in Oz as it is in the US... you pays peanuts...and you gets monkeys.

Catch 22.