Let me be perfectly clear. I expect Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn plus every single Senate Republican to vote AGAINST this budget agreement. According to Breitbart News, the “bi-partisan” budget compromise that passed the US House of Representatives calls for a 1{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} cut in the cost-of-living adjustment for veterans pensions (emphasis mine):
“After winning approval in the House, the Ryan-Murray budget deal now moves to the Senate. Democrats will need support from at least five GOP Senators to pass the deal. While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- NV) can normally count on a handful of GOP moderates, as of Friday, no Republican in the Senate has voiced support for the budget deal.
The deal may fall apart over one of its smaller line-items; a 1{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} cut in cost of living adjustments for veteran’s pensions.”
Cutting military retiree pensions to cover spending increases under this bill is simply unconscionable.
But WAIT! There’s more!
From the Washington Free Beacon (emphasis mine):
“Military personnel that enlisted after 1980 currently have the choice between two retirement plans. The majority of the military prefers the “High Three” plan, which offers a full COLA equal to inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
An alternative plan, the “Redux,” provides a lump sum of $30,000 upon retirement, but the cost-of-living adjustment is equal to inflation minus 1 percent. If the budget agreement is adopted, all military retirees will be forced into a plan similar to the Redux plan, but they will not receive a lump sum upon retirement.”
Apparently, if you like your military pension plan, Paul Ryan and Patty Murray don’t want you to keep your military pension plan.
I’d like to publicly commend and report the names of the Texas Congressmen in the US House of Representatives who did not vote to cut military retiree pensions and refused to support forcing military retirees off the military pension plan they liked:
Joe Barton, Michael Burgess, Louis Gohmert, Ralph Hall, Sam Johnson, Kenny Marchant, Randy Neugebauer, Pete Olson, Ted Poe, Steve Stockman and Randy Weber.
Be sure to call these guys and thank them for their vote.
As for the rest of the Texas Congressional delegation who thought cutting military retiree pensions would be a great idea going into a re-election and arrogantly thought no one would notice or call them out; maybe you guys should have read the bill before you passed it.
Why should any government employee get a pension indexed to full inflation, especially an employee who retires at half pay at age 38, then works at other jobs for another 25 years? My pension from my employer won’t be indexed at all. Sorry no sympathy for the military on this.
Spoken like an idiot. Spoken like a person who never woke up at 0500 every day for 20 years.. spoken like a idiot who didn’t miss 4 years of their children’s lives to deployment… you sure don’t know ${997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986}&# about sacrifice. If it was depended on you to serve then this country would be screwed.
You don’t know me, you don’t know what I’ve done, who I know, or where I’ve been. Military retirees get very generous benefits, and that cutting the rate of increase of those benefits by 1{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} is not that big a deal.
Ross,
Your question is a valid one. You asked why a government employee should get a pension indexed to full inflation. Part of the answer is, “Because that was the agreement; full retirement COLA every year in exchange for serving 20 full years of military active duty.” Another part of the answer is, “Because at the 15-yr point, there was a choice made between 2 future retirement packages: the first option was getting $30K on-the-spot, reduced {997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} of pay based on # years of service, and forfeiting full retirement COLA in the future; the second was foregoing the $30K payout but collecting full CPI-based COLA in the future. The people who selected “full COLA” are negatively affected by this, and are not seeking anything more than what was carefully contracted for during service.
By the way, this is a decrease in the rate of increase in military pensions. Calling it a cut is the same thing as Democrats calling a smaller increase in food stamp amounts a cut.
The weak & cowardly jacking with the pensions of the strong & the brave; and don’t think this won’t show up on a campaign mailer when it’s least expected
Ross
If you had made a sacrifice for 20-years and spent long deployments away from your family you would have said so. Spare me, “the we don’t know you.” We know you. You are person of no character or moral standing who is very comfortable with enjoying the freedoms that brave men and women who did serve their country have fought and died for, endured long separations from their families, stared into the eyes of their spouses and kids and had to wonder if they would ever see them again. Wonder if they would ever embrace them again. Wonder if they would ever have just one more chance to tell them how much they love them. Wonder if they would ever get just one more kiss from their little girl or boy.
I would challenge you to visit a military installation and look into the eyes of small child and the spouse of a deployed service member who is on their 3rd, 4th, 5th… deployment of 6-months or a year and tell them, “cutting the rate of increase of those benefits by 1{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} is not that big a deal.” You have no idea of the sacrifices made by service members and their families, or you simply don’t care. Which is it?
Perhaps you could exercise one of the freedoms those brave service members fought and died for, simply say, “Thank you for your sacrifice and we owe it you to keep a promise.”
Ray,
I agree with you, let’s not cut military retiree pensions. Let’s not cut social security or Medicare either..
Loren smith
We shouldn’t cut the benefits of those currently receiving them, be it military retiree, social security or Medicare.
Loren and Ray,
I consider myself to be a moderate and Independent, but even I know that there will be pain for everyone. Military Pensions, Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid will all be cut because we just cannot support the levels of spending.
The sooner we get to business…the less total pain there will be for everyone down the road. We can do this or end up like Greece or Detroit.
I am sick of the political posturing on both sides. We need some adults in Washington instead of the bickering petty little children we have now.
Simple
Simple,
Perhaps you didn’t have a chance to digest my original remarks. Unless you have made the sacrifices or have a close family member who has you won’t fully appreciate and understand the sacrifices made by veterans and those serving today. Integrity is one of the pillars of the United States Marine Corps, and reducing the pensions of those service members you promised breaks a sacred promise that disrespects those that this country relied on to keep it free.
Now if you want to change the retirement for those that have not yet signed up then by all means. This country will have to live with the impact of such a decision.
I would have thought support for our veterans and retirees was a bipartisan issue. I see now it is a bipartisan matter of promising one thing and then going back on your promise. We are free to hold them accountable at election time.
I would ask that those politicians not thank me for my service after they pulled this stunt, as the thank you rings hollow.
I agree with Loren there are many pet projects within the military that Congress wants and the service don’t.
Ray, it’s pretty sad when retirees get bigger raises than workers. I don’t know of any real job where wages are automatically increased by inflation, especially when the rate calculation is very nebulous and subject to manipulation.
Our service members deserve respect, but they are no more important than any other government worker, and the sacrifices they made were voluntary. And, keep in mind that those recent deployments were the result of some incredibly stupid policy decisions bu the Bush administration, and continued by Obama. There was no reason at all for US troops to be in Iraq.
Ross,
First off retiree pensions are not automatically approved for raises. We don’t get raises. They are COLA adjustments that have to be approved by Congress. I haven’t seen a COLA adjustment in 3-years. You’ll have to be a little more specific when you say workers. I can counter your argument with specific companies that have given raises, to the tune of 3{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} or higher. Hunt, Inc., Pinnacle, and Boeing to name just three.
I take issue with your comment as to “real” workers. Your statement clearly indicates a big disconnect and lack of understanding of it means to serve this country.
I won’t bother commenting on the remainder of your comment as you have taken this conversation to a place of complete disrespect for me and those that have served and those that continue to serve. To say more would see me slip as low as you have gone and make remarks to and about you for which I know I am better than that. Just remember those “volunteers” protect your right to say stupid things and be the jerk that you are.
Your welcome!
Simple,
Agree and disagree. Agree that some adults in Washington bicker like little children. Disagree that pensioners must feel more pain. Let’s trim the fat from Defense Dept. programs like the F-35, LCS and Abrams tanks. These are examples of political posturing for pork barrel projects by politicians whose main interest is getting reelected.
Ray,
First…I never and will never solicit thanks for my military service, which I consider part of my duty to live in a free and democratic country. I find this whole practice of thanking me for my service a little uncomfortable; mostly because the most profuse thanks comes for those who did not serve or worse…from slimy politicians.
Second…READ YOUR HISTORY!! There is a long tradition of the politicians breaking “sacred” vows made to soldiers in this country and it goes all the way back to the Revolutionary War. It is nothing new and should be part of the job description.
If we were talking about Municipal Employees…it would be a different tune. Similar promises made. Take a secure but lower paying job and we will reward you with a good pension. The trouble is the folks making that promise flunked math.
The “pension” model only works when you have an expanding population and workers to fund the current retirees. That is why most US Corporations have switched to the 401K model, which is superior to a pension in my mind, as long as, the employee takes a little time to educate himself and exhibits sufficent self-discipline to leave the money alone until retirement. It doesn’t help to save a little more to boot.
The time is long past for the military retirement to be shifted to a 401k type system.
Loren…I can’t think of a single politician in Washington at this time who demonstrates the maturity of a post-toddler child.
Simple,
You apparently missed the sarcastic context of my statement “Your Welcome.” Perhaps I watched the movie “A Few Good Men,” with Jack Nicholson one to many times. I don’t need really need the thank you, I have the love and appreciation of my wife who was by my side the whole way.
The history of broken promises is not lost on me. I entered the USMC when I was 17 and as a good Marine didn’t immerse myself in the politics of the day, good or bad. It is only now that I am retired am actively participating in the debate and concern of the promises being broken to those that served.
I completely agree that we cannot continue as is and that changes are needed. It might be easier to take if everything was on the table , Social Security ( third rail of politics). I’m resigned to the fact that SS won’t be something I can count on in the future. The reform you speak of is likely coming (401K) and I would support that change and would imagine that folks choosing to join would factor that into their decision to serve.
I am sure the “flunking math” comment is meant in jest, I believe it is an integrity issue. We accept that our politicians are going to lie and apparently that is simply ok.
USMC 1981-2004. How about you Simple when did you serve?
Ray,
1968 – 1974 (Four years active duty and 2 years active reserve) I was a D.I. at P.I. for my last two years of active service.
I am serious in the flunking math commment. I am a lowly retired Engineer and the math facts are plain to see.
Everything and everyone will have to bear some pain. It is one of the few things where I find common ground with the Tea Party folks and that is everything is on the table. Spread the pain equally and soon; the pain will be difficult but a lot more bearable than the cluster-you-know-what which will surely follow if we do not take some measures soon.
There is no magic bullet. The “let’s just cut the waste” ship sailed about 30 years ago.
To make it work…everyone has to suffer a little and the slightest appearence that the cuts are being applied unevenly to backup some cultural political philosophy will doom it to failure.
This is an effort that will be required of ALL the people and not just Progressives, R’s, D’s, or Tea Partiers. It is everybody or nobody.
Regrettably, I don’t see anyone on the current political stage that can get the buy in from the vast majority of the American people
“…everyone has to suffer a little and the slightest appearance that the cuts are being applied unevenly…”
You’re right! I guess I viewed this particular issue as being applied unfairly as with other recent actions that have taken place.
I went through Parris Island in June 1981.
Merry Christmas!
I do understand exactly what the military people are saying and worried about and think it is a disgrace to all middle class people ( military or not ). I think the only true answer is we need realign the way money flows in this country. Politicians( rep. or Dem.) have absolutely no morals or honor and we should not be allowing them to make policies that take from middle class Americans and give to themselves.The bottom line is we need to stick together big business and greed are killing America. Thank all of you for your service…we are all on the same team and could not survive without each other. The equipment the military uses to stay safe and win battles is also made by middle class America. I thank them also!