Should we SLASH pensions for BOTH current and future public sector employees? (Sacramento: how much, house)

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Define "slash," Mr. Pretty Liberal.

Yes, please define.

Originally Posted by analyze_this

I believe that the number one issue that is hurting California is bloated public sector pensions. The only solution I see is to absolutely SLASH pensions for public sector employees, INCLUDING current retirees. I dont care what the contract stipulates, this is an emergency situation for the state and we absolutely CANNOT continue to pay out these bloated pensions to public sector workers, INCLUDING cops and firefighters.

I think it is time people in California force their leaders to take charge on this issue immediately. Flood governor Brown's office with calls asking him to SLASH public sector pensions for BOTH current and future retirees and save our state. Also get rid of ALL welfare for illegal aliens.

Yes, I am a pretty liberal guy but enough is enough with the fiscal insanity.

I receive a bloated public sector pension of $1200 a month. Pretty insane, no? So let's slash my excessive pension, by say...oh $1000 a month. That should work. Make you happy?

Truth be told 90% of public sector pensions are like me, getting $500 to $2000 a month plus Social Security and guess what else, they like me paid into the system.

edit: had to add that illegal aliens are not eligible to receive welfare or food stamps in CA. That was changed over 20 years ago. They can only receive limited medical services

[analyze_this]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Yes, please define.


I receive a bloated public sector pension of $1200 a month. Pretty insane, no? So let's slash my excessive pension, by say...oh $1000 a month. That should work. Make you happy?

Truth be told 90% of public sector pensions are like me, getting $500 to $2000 a month plus Social Security and guess what else, they like me paid into the system.

No I am NOT talking about going after your pension here. I am talking about the people who have gamed the system and make 6 figures after retiring at 50.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

You gotta be kidding me what over-hyped crap. All I see is firefighters do all day is sit on their thumbs or work out all day while they wait for that one false fire alarm going off. Same with cops issuing speeding tickets or cruising around in their cars. Most don't have a college degree and no other skills.

By your yardstick, why shouldn't janitors or construction workers get to retire at 50 since their work is probably even more physical? Are you ok with janitors, construction workers, laborers getting a full six figure pension for life at 50?

Like I said, if you want to retire at 50, go get a desk job and WAIT till you hit 65. This is a career choice that YOU made, knowing very well that it requires no education or skills and is physical at times.

I see.
Well, you have now made the depth of your ignorance completely clear.
I think it would be fun to load you up with 50 -75 pounds of protective clothing and working gear and send you into a burning apartment building to run up about 8 or 10 flights of smoke filled stairs breathing through your oxygen mask to find and rescue a baby -- and its 300 pound mother ... you can leave their little dog to find its own way down following you ... unless you have a heart.

[harhar]

My knee-jerk reaction is: Nope. No one is touching my pension.

I go into a public sector job knowing about the benefits. If I knew that this job wasn't as safe or knew my benefits would change or go away I wouldn't have applied for the job in the first place.

Something needs to be done but leave all of the current pensions alone; if you want to change them, change them for all new hires.

I also agree with auditing the current system for abuse.

About the firefighter thing: Firefighters not only have to stay fit, they are trained to risk their lives to save yours when the time comes.

I also like the argument about choice, why don't you choose to become a firefighter and retire at 50?

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by harhar

My knee-jerk reaction is: Nope. No one is touching my pension.

I go into a public sector job knowing about the benefits. If I knew that this job wasn't as safe or knew my benefits would change or go away I wouldn't have applied for the job in the first place.

Something needs to be done but leave all of the current pensions alone; if you want to change them, change them for all new hires.

I also agree with auditing the current system for abuse.

About the firefighter thing: Firefighters not only have to stay fit, they are trained to risk their lives to save yours when the time comes.

I also like the argument about choice, why don't you choose to become a firefighter and retire at 50?

This^^^

Geez, I could have made twice the income in my field in the private sector.

[analyze_this]

Originally Posted by harhar

My knee-jerk reaction is: Nope. No one is touching my pension.

I go into a public sector job knowing about the benefits. If I knew that this job wasn't as safe or knew my benefits would change or go away I wouldn't have applied for the job in the first place.

Something needs to be done but leave all of the current pensions alone; if you want to change them, change them for all new hires.

I also agree with auditing the current system for abuse.

About the firefighter thing: Firefighters not only have to stay fit, they are trained to risk their lives to save yours when the time comes.

I also like the argument about choice, why don't you choose to become a firefighter and retire at 50?

Because that job requires no skills or an education. We should be disincentivizing such jobs, otherwise no one will spend thousands and years going to college and become a doctor, engineer, scientists etc.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

Well you can always get a desk job if you are not physically capable.

I knew you'd go there:

A. There are only so many desk jobs vs the number of suppression personnel.

B. Many of the "desk jobs" are filled with non-sworn employees who make a lot less money than the aged suppression personnel who you feel need to stick around for 40+ years.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

All I see is firefighters do all day is sit on their thumbs or work out all day while they wait for that one false fire alarm going off.

User_ID in the house.

[harhar]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

Because that job requires no skills or an education. We should be disincentivizing such jobs, otherwise no one will spend thousands and years going to college and become a doctor, engineer, scientists etc.

No skills?

Training: Training Manual Summary

We should be incentivizing all forms of jobs. Every job has some sort of skill.

I'm a huge proponent of the BITA and FHA-HERO programs at the school where I work. These "no-skill" jobs are vital to the backbone of our economy. We are not all college bound and should place emphasis on getting our population to work after high school if they do not want to go to college.

[Ketch]

Originally Posted by analyze_this

Well I dont care...life is hard for a lot of people. You CHOSE that profession knowing what it entails. Since your job is physical, it is your duty to stay in shape...I know many fit people at 65 who can take care of themselves because they WORK HARD to stay fit.

If you want to retire at 50, go get a desk job and wait for 15 years till you are eligible for full retirement or take a huge haircut in the annual benefits.

To say that police, firefighters, and military don't deserve to retire early is absurdly offensive and ignorant. Can we please bring back the draft? This guy needs to spend a few years in the middle east.