We're Taking a Golden Fleecing....

This article is one of those items making its way around the internet, but it has such a ring of truth that I am going to partially edit it, add my comments and post it.. We hear so much about the state of Social Security and how it will disappear in our lifetime without changes in how it is funded. I like the idea behind this underground proposal of change:)

Since the current administration has returned us to a climate of record deficits through selective tax cuts (which amount to deferred taxes for the wealthy... to corporate welfare), then perhaps we should take a look at how the members of Congress are personally affected by our struggle with social security.How do we keep the system healthy and vibrant as Baby Boomers reach retirement age, when the monies we pay in taxes are going to increasingly be used to service the national debt instead of protecting us in our retirement years.

The social security issue is not a partisan issue; all members of Congress benefit from their largess to themselves.

(By the way, gotmoof (Tim) posted a link to an excellent article by Ron Reagan for Esquire Magazine titled "The Case Against George W. Bush". Please check it out.)

SOCIAL SECURITY

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 congress person 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.

For example, former Senator Byrd and his wife may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with his wife drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.

This is calculated on an average life span for this dignitary.

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.

The above examples are Democrats, but Republicans receive the same perks. Members of congress also receive free health care. I guess it's all right to scream about socialism in health care for the public, but to enjoy it for your elected self:); to have our administration's policy of health care for all Iraqis be sound foreign policy; for Americans, more talk of socialism. Hypocrites!

It was interesting seeing "The Manchurian Candidate" yesterday afternoon with beararchitect (Fernando). Until the hijinks of the current administration, I would have characterized the movie as a science fiction thriller, now the entire premise of the movie seems plausible. By the way, no matter what your politics, the movie is well-done and thought-provoking.

What is clear - If this message is in the least bit true, then all Americans are taking a Golden Fleecing and it is "shear" madness not to fight for change:)

We're Taking a Golden Fleecing....

This article is one of those items making its way around the internet, but it has such a ring of truth that I am going to partially edit it, add my comments and post it.. We hear so much about the state of Social Security and how it will disappear in our lifetime without changes in how it is funded. I like the idea behind this underground proposal of change:)

Since the current administration has returned us to a climate of record deficits through selective tax cuts (which amount to deferred taxes for the wealthy... to corporate welfare), then perhaps we should take a look at how the members of Congress are personally affected by our struggle with social security.How do we keep the system healthy and vibrant as Baby Boomers reach retirement age, when the monies we pay in taxes are going to increasingly be used to service the national debt instead of protecting us in our retirement years.

The social security issue is not a partisan issue; all members of Congress benefit from their largess to themselves.

(By the way, gotmoof (Tim) posted a link to an excellent article by Ron Reagan for Esquire Magazine titled "The Case Against George W. Bush". Please check it out.)

SOCIAL SECURITY

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 congress person 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.

For example, former Senator Byrd and his wife may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with his wife drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives.

This is calculated on an average life span for this dignitary.

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.

The above examples are Democrats, but Republicans receive the same perks. Members of congress also receive free health care. I guess it's all right to scream about socialism in health care for the public, but to enjoy it for your elected self:); to have our administration's policy of health care for all Iraqis be sound foreign policy; for Americans, more talk of socialism. Hypocrites!

It was interesting seeing "The Manchurian Candidate" yesterday afternoon with beararchitect (Fernando). Until the hijinks of the current administration, I would have characterized the movie as a science fiction thriller, now the entire premise of the movie seems plausible. By the way, no matter what your politics, the movie is well-done and thought-provoking.

What is clear - If this message is in the least bit true, then all Americans are taking a Golden Fleecing and it is "shear" madness not to fight for change:)

Invisible

There is a consumer advocate on television in Houston who goes to great lengths to help poor folks who need special medical attention. His name is Marvin Zindler and he's been on the ABC Affiliate for over 30 years.

Last night he featured a story which really touched my heart. A four-year old boy with carrot-colored hair and thick glasses had been teased unmercifully by the other kids because he had protruding ears. His grandmother called Marvin for help and a cosmetic surgeon volunteered to correct the problem. Free surgery. The doctors who help Zindler are called "Marvin's Angels" and they do much good.

However, what touched me is that the little boy refused to open his eyes the entire time that Zindler was interviewing his grandmother. When Marvin asked her why the boy kept his eyes shut, she replied, "because he thinks that if his eyes are closed that he is invisible and no one can hurt him."

Invisibility - a state of being that I feel many of us have felt, where we often feel that our needs, desires, feelings... are being ignored; a feeling that we don't measure up somehow or aren't good enough; a feeling that we are completely alone or damaged by low self-esteem. One of my fellow live journalists, in a low state of mind, stated such a frame of mind just a few days ago and it makes me sad.

Sometimes invisibility can be a good thing....as when good works are being done anonymously. My contributions in my work are often invisible but in a good way....my singing, acting, an offstage assist or work ethic may help my peers, but is understated or overlooked by the audience. It can mean I'm doing a great job. I am fine with that. There have been times I've felt unappreciated, but never invisible.

Ironically, invisibility can be "visible" in the most mundane of tasks. For example, today I entered eight months of receipts into Quicken; I planted flowers in my mother's garden. Both tasks were completed to my great satisfaction, but the hours of work are invisible to all but me. I don't mean to make light of this state of being; I am really going to make a determined effort to understand and recognize when others feel invisible.... to see outside my self.

I've never felt invisible like that little boy (I was too busy shouting for attention:), but part of my heart really understands and embraces his fantasy, a defense created to mask his pain. I also hope to never make anyone else feel invisible. I plan to keep my eyes wide open and challenge myself to see others with clarity, sensitivity, wisdom and vision, so that there need not be any little boys or girls, or for that matter, grown-up boys and girls who feel that the world has passed them by.

Invisible

There is a consumer advocate on television in Houston who goes to great lengths to help poor folks who need special medical attention. His name is Marvin Zindler and he's been on the ABC Affiliate for over 30 years.

Last night he featured a story which really touched my heart. A four-year old boy with carrot-colored hair and thick glasses had been teased unmercifully by the other kids because he had protruding ears. His grandmother called Marvin for help and a cosmetic surgeon volunteered to correct the problem. Free surgery. The doctors who help Zindler are called "Marvin's Angels" and they do much good.

However, what touched me is that the little boy refused to open his eyes the entire time that Zindler was interviewing his grandmother. When Marvin asked her why the boy kept his eyes shut, she replied, "because he thinks that if his eyes are closed that he is invisible and no one can hurt him."

Invisibility - a state of being that I feel many of us have felt, where we often feel that our needs, desires, feelings... are being ignored; a feeling that we don't measure up somehow or aren't good enough; a feeling that we are completely alone or damaged by low self-esteem. One of my fellow live journalists, in a low state of mind, stated such a frame of mind just a few days ago and it makes me sad.

Sometimes invisibility can be a good thing....as when good works are being done anonymously. My contributions in my work are often invisible but in a good way....my singing, acting, an offstage assist or work ethic may help my peers, but is understated or overlooked by the audience. It can mean I'm doing a great job. I am fine with that. There have been times I've felt unappreciated, but never invisible.

Ironically, invisibility can be "visible" in the most mundane of tasks. For example, today I entered eight months of receipts into Quicken; I planted flowers in my mother's garden. Both tasks were completed to my great satisfaction, but the hours of work are invisible to all but me. I don't mean to make light of this state of being; I am really going to make a determined effort to understand and recognize when others feel invisible.... to see outside my self.

I've never felt invisible like that little boy (I was too busy shouting for attention:), but part of my heart really understands and embraces his fantasy, a defense created to mask his pain. I also hope to never make anyone else feel invisible. I plan to keep my eyes wide open and challenge myself to see others with clarity, sensitivity, wisdom and vision, so that there need not be any little boys or girls, or for that matter, grown-up boys and girls who feel that the world has passed them by.