“The photo accompanying the piece is priceless. The quintessential Washington DC federal employee- middle aged, black, morbidly obese female.”

But of course to call the corporate fat cats “fat cats”—who padded their benefits and bonuses with tax payer dollars to the tune of billions—that would just be rude.

Pat:

I agree philosophically, but am compromised by the fact that I have a military retirement. Since 2/3 of my twentt one years was in the National Guard, I had to wait til 60 to start collecting- an 18 year wait.

As for civilian government retirement, let’s start with Congress- zero retirement benefits- ever. Serve because you love the country, not the perks. I’d go further- instead of formal term limits, institute a declining pay scale, vanishing to zero after a fourth term in either house. Let’s see who sticks around.

Capt Suave.

Open ended - till you die. 

In most building trades and even some state governments you need 30 years to be able to retire at age 55 and face a 7 percent penalty which decreases until 62.  At any rate you need to wait till 55 to collect.  If you have 20 years you wait till 62.

Federal, State and Military personnel who give 20 years starting at 18, 19, 20… should not be able to collect at age 38, 39, 40… period.  This one ‘entitlement’ screws those of us who believe government should not be self serving. 

The state and county government here in Maryland allow you to save up ‘sick leave’ over the 30 years and retire 2 years earlier than 55.

What a giveaway and on my back.

Pat:

“especially the military are especially generous in awarding open ended pensions to each other for a short time served.”

Omly if you believe that twenty years in the military to be eligible for a pension is a “short time”. And what does “open-ended” mean?

How about setting an example by starting at the top, letting congress take some pay cuts and all government workers including congress using the same new great medical plan the people will be mandated to use. Congress may be a perfect example of being over paid, after all don’t they get something like perks from those lobbyists, before they become one themselves?  As a classic example of a wasted money, Congress could maybe dampen or even alleviate themselves from being the poster boys of hypocrisy.

On the other hand why would they want to do this?

This is a prime example of attacking the working class once more, another switch and bate routine away from the real cause of the problem.

After all didn’t they just cut taxes to the rich and deserving, ....which far as I can tell; is anyone richer and more deserving then I!

The accompanying video describes mostly state workers getting the axe.

Simple economics dictates when we have too many state workers some have to go.

I don’t deny these state workers, fire fighters and policemen their pensions but those pensions shouldn’t begin at age 38 without limit.

The federal government and especially the military are especially generous in awarding open ended pensions to each other for a short time served.

That open ended unfunded entitlement is too generous in a bad economy when government service is suppose to be about serving ones government than about self enrichment.

New rule: every full time worker gets the same pay—50 grand plus medicare style health benefits. From slackers to CEO’s—the same paycheck.

The photo accompanying the piece is priceless. The quintessential Washington DC federal employee- middle aged, black, morbidly obese female.

The unions have some skeletons in their closets as well, with the inordinate
salaries of the bosses. That said, the Wall Street bonuses in a time of foreclosures
and families being dumped out onto Main Street, is a travesty. And if the
conservatives really want to be just about it, let’s take a look at police and fire
pensions which are sky high before we lay off teachers and child care workers! But
then, we always knew that the Republican Party et.al. view themselves as the
strong protecting the strong.

This is beyond criminal blaming these hard working people for destroying the country with their pensions.
First the Wall St. criminals and elites like Mayor Bloomberg destroyed 401K pensions now they are going after the pensions and jobs of these public employees like the public works snowplowing crews in NY city.

Greed on steroids mixed with Fux News and the teabaggers who are ignorant and jealous , that’s what is driving this.

And not a whimper of support for the public employees from that corporate lawn jockey in the white house.