With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies
Dear Editor:
By their actions the past couple of weeks, our president, congressmen and senators have proven they really know how to do their best for us and manage “our” money. Or did they? In this time period they have voted down an increase in the minimum wage, passed a stricter individual bankruptcy law, and have expressed a desire to solve our Social Security “problem” by cutting benefits in the future. Let’s see.
The last minimum wage law, which resulted in an increase for our lowest paid workers, was passed in 1996. During this same time period (1996-2004) our representatives and senators voted themselves six increases in their pay for a total of $26,000 a year. Those increase alone equaled $15,000 per year more than inflation. If you are on minimum wage you earn just over $10,000 a year, which is $5,000 below what our government considers the poverty line for a family of three. Of course the president signed the bill.
The bankruptcy law was changed to make it easier for credit card companies to collect on debts even after someone is forced into that legal problem by divorce, sickness, or the loss of a job. Evidently congress feels they have to protect these companies that send out “pre-approved” credit offers to infants, young college students and in some instances, the family pet. Of course the president signed the bill.
The president and congress have now suggested that one of the possible solutions for our future “problems” with Social Security could be cutting benefits for those under 55. This from a group that does not pay social security taxes (of course they also don’t collect it), but rather have a retirement plan that is 100% free and paid for by our taxes. Their benefit, free of charge, upon retirement is to continue receiving their salary for the rest of their lives. At present that means $158,100 for the rest of their life. For example, former Senator Byrd and his wife may expect to draw $7,800,000 (based upon an average life span) and his wife will draw $275,000 during the last days of her life. They pay absolutely nothing for this. And they want to cut senior benefits on what is supposed to be a safety net for Americans. Or better still, have a privatization program that will require trillions of dollars of additional debt. This is what the president and his staff are busy running all over the country (of course at our tax expense) trying to sell.
Are these the people looking out for us? Or are they just too busy feathering their own nest?
By their actions the past couple of weeks, our president, congressmen and senators have proven they really know how to do their best for us and manage “our” money. Or did they? In this time period they have voted down an increase in the minimum wage, passed a stricter individual bankruptcy law, and have expressed a desire to solve our Social Security “problem” by cutting benefits in the future. Let’s see.
The last minimum wage law, which resulted in an increase for our lowest paid workers, was passed in 1996. During this same time period (1996-2004) our representatives and senators voted themselves six increases in their pay for a total of $26,000 a year. Those increase alone equaled $15,000 per year more than inflation. If you are on minimum wage you earn just over $10,000 a year, which is $5,000 below what our government considers the poverty line for a family of three. Of course the president signed the bill.
The bankruptcy law was changed to make it easier for credit card companies to collect on debts even after someone is forced into that legal problem by divorce, sickness, or the loss of a job. Evidently congress feels they have to protect these companies that send out “pre-approved” credit offers to infants, young college students and in some instances, the family pet. Of course the president signed the bill.
The president and congress have now suggested that one of the possible solutions for our future “problems” with Social Security could be cutting benefits for those under 55. This from a group that does not pay social security taxes (of course they also don’t collect it), but rather have a retirement plan that is 100% free and paid for by our taxes. Their benefit, free of charge, upon retirement is to continue receiving their salary for the rest of their lives. At present that means $158,100 for the rest of their life. For example, former Senator Byrd and his wife may expect to draw $7,800,000 (based upon an average life span) and his wife will draw $275,000 during the last days of her life. They pay absolutely nothing for this. And they want to cut senior benefits on what is supposed to be a safety net for Americans. Or better still, have a privatization program that will require trillions of dollars of additional debt. This is what the president and his staff are busy running all over the country (of course at our tax expense) trying to sell.
Are these the people looking out for us? Or are they just too busy feathering their own nest?
posted by Sam Schoolsky | 5:58 PM
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