Rush Limbaugh nailed this one right (Congressmen, Iraq, salary, middle east)

[junkman18]

Subject: Rush Limbaugh nailed this one right

Love him or loathe him, 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 our 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 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 milli on 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 a s 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 US Congress voted themselves a raise. 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 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, they
may
receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed
them in harm's way receives 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?" If this doesn't seem
fair
to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.

How many people CAN YOU send this to?

****************************

How many WILL YOU?

[ontheroad]

When I searched for more on this online all I got was some references to Mr. Limbaugh's prescription drug issues.

Where did this valuable info come from?

[spunky1]

That makes me sick, and want to run for Congress!

[Alpha8207]

There's this Urban Legends Reference Pages: What's a Military Family Worth?

Originally Posted by ontheroad

When I searched for more on this online all I got was some references to Mr. Limbaugh's prescription drug issues.

Where did this valuable info come from?

[ontheroad]

Thanks, Alpha8207 -- much appreciated!

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

There's this Urban Legends Reference Pages: What's a Military Family Worth?

[PrettyHateMachine]

It's not only congress. Bush and his administration strongly opposed a 3.5 percent raise for 2008 and follow-on increases, calling extra pay increases “unnecessary.”

The News and Tribune - Bush, congress disagree over military pay raise

White House: 3.5 percent pay hike unnecessary - Military News, Army News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Army Times

"Support the troops"?

[Evlevo]

Originally Posted by junkman18

Subject: Rush Limbaugh nailed this one right

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. ....

However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. 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.

Wow... when you say " Rush nailed it" I assume you mean shooting himself in the foot.

First, the "9/11 victims money" came from an agreement not to sue the airlines September 11th Victim Compensation Fund - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in addition to the money from private donations, the Bono concert, etc (just because Rush forgot about that doesn't mean it didn't happen). Second, the troops also get the SGLI, a subsidized life insurance policy that pays $250,000 (reciently increased to $400,000) and if your smart like I was when I was in, you can get an "extra" policy that pays $400,000 for about $20/mo. I agree that the troops should get an extra benefit... If Rush used his celebrity to organize a donation drive, I will gladly give to the cause.

Second, the pension thing is about as true as the Legend of Bigfoot. Congressmen pay into a pension plan just like everyone else, and get earnings based on the years they contribute. Disgraced Republican Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham had about 20 years of service, and draws a pension of about $64,000 from his jail cell. Again, the military (just like everyone else) should get more, but an E-7 that retires after 20 years (keep in mind they may be as young as 37 years old) will get a retirement income between $1,500 - $1900 a month (it increases from 40% to 50% with 2% a year increases) PLUS free medical/dental PLUS Base privileges (Commissary privileges alone can save you $300 - $600 a month on groceries). Also consider that the "base salary" of the E-7 is less than a third of the congressman's.

here is the link showing congressional pensions:
The Blotter

If you really want to complain about pensions, take a look at CEOs. The reality of THAT inequity is far worse than the lie about Congress.

Rush is a perfect example of the "fact-free zone" that many Conservatives now seem to be living in.

[ontheroad]

I really hate the "fact-free zone." So do you know, evlevo, if whilst serving in Congress SS is paid or not by those elected. The statement that they are exempt was in Mr. Limbaugh's statement. It sounds wrong?

[Evlevo]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

I really hate the "fact-free zone." So do you know, evlevo, if whilst serving in Congress SS is paid or not by those elected. The statement that they are exempt was in Mr. Limbaugh's statement. It sounds wrong?

If Rush said it, what do you think?

Of course Congress pays SSI and has since at least 1984

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Congressional Pensions

Some government employees (city, county, etc - but NOT Congress) can elect to put the same amount SSI requires into a different account (a state pension plan, for example) and draw money from that instead of from SSI, or get a "lump sum". It's not quite the "get SSI without ever paying for it" scenario it's painted as... it's more like invest and draw money from plan B instead.

BTW, the "Rush" article cited at the beginning of the thread was originally written in 2002..... Five years and no retraction?

[ontheroad]

Thanks for the clarifications. Sometimes I just put my head in my hands on some of these comments. I can't look them all up and have any sort of life.

But as a former government employee myself, this sounded strange to say the least.

And with so much support why would Limbaugh or any other talking head retract a statement; they love that these get regurgitated years later as fact!

Oh, well, another day, another disappointment in our learned colleagues.

Originally Posted by Evlevo

If Rush said it, what do you think?

Of course Congress pays SSI since at least 1984

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Congressional Pensions

Some government employees (city, county, etc) can elect to put the same amount SSI requires into a different account (a state pension plan, for example) and draw money from that instead of from SSI, or get a "lump sum". It's not quite the "get SSI without ever paying for it" scenario it's painted as... it's more like invest and draw money from plan B instead.

BTW, the "Rush" article cited at the beginning of the thread was originally written in 2002..... Five years and no retraction?