I think we know where the cuts should be made in spending

[MrsKellyPierce]

Salary of retired US Presidents .............$180,000 FOR LIFE


Salary of House/Senate .......................$174,00​0 FOR LIFE


Salary of Speaker of the House ............$223,500 FOR LIFE


Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders ...... $193,400 FOR LIFE


Average Salary of a teacher ................ $40,065


Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN $38,000
I think we found where the cuts should be made!

[robertlouis]

Salary of retired US Presidents .............$180,000 FOR LIFE


Salary of House/Senate .......................$174,00​0 FOR LIFE


Salary of Speaker of the House ............$223,500 FOR LIFE


Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders ...... $193,400 FOR LIFE


Average Salary of a teacher ................ $40,065


Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN $38,000
I think we found where the cuts should be made!

In terms of equitable treatment Kelly, absolutely. In terms of actual savings, not much. The effect would be symbolic.

If you really want to make spending cuts and improve your country's chances of sustained economic recovery, start with the bankers. Those bastards remain immune to the shitstorm that the rest of us are suffering from, and they continue to make ever larger and more obscene bonuses.

When are governments - and it has to be done collectively by treaty - going to tackle the architects of the financial disaster?

[TSPornFan]

What are you suggesting for teachers?

EX-Presidents should not be getting paid. They're already rich.

[robertlouis]

What are you suggesting for teachers?

EX-Presidents should not be getting paid. They're already rich.

You've got a total of four living ex-presidents.

Where are the rest of the savings coming from?

And if you're going for former office-holders "because they're already rich", why the fuck aren't you going after tax-dodging corporations and executives. There are a lot more of them than there are ex-presidents. *SMH*

Oh yeah, the teabaggers, bankrolled by the Koch brothers, two of the richest men in America, stopped congress from taking that very sensible step. *SMH again and again* :yayo:

[MrsKellyPierce]

You've got a total of four living ex-presidents.

Where are the rest of the savings coming from?

And if you're going for former office-holders "because they're already rich", why the fuck aren't you going after tax-dodging corporations and executives. There are a lot more of them than there are ex-presidents. *SMH*

Oh yeah, the teabaggers, bankrolled by the Koch brothers, two of the richest men in America, stopped congress from taking that very sensible step. *SMH again and again* :yayo:
The Bush Tax Cuts were horrendous - and of course the Republicans now are trying to twist it and blame it on Obama.

One thing I can say for the Republicans they are good at twisting and turning crap into gold.

I wish the democrats would figure out how to sweet talk more and put their issues out there more.

[TSPornFan]

You've got a total of four living ex-presidents.

Where are the rest of the savings coming from?

And if you're going for former office-holders "because they're already rich", why the fuck aren't you going after tax-dodging corporations and executives. There are a lot more of them than there are ex-presidents. *SMH*

Oh yeah, the teabaggers, bankrolled by the Koch brothers, two of the richest men in America, stopped congress from taking that very sensible step. *SMH again and again* :yayo:

I'm not saying to ignore the tax dodging corporations and executives. I'm saying it is still wasteful to pay four ex-presidents.

We do NOT need to cut teacher's salaries. The average teacher is barely making it on a $40,000 budget. Some of their budget is used for their jobs. I work on a campus. Some teachers have to spend $5000 on their job alone. Teachers should be paid more because their jobs are more important than most jobs in the US. They train the future of this nation. Fuck them over and the education system will take another blow.

[robertlouis]

The Bush Tax Cuts were horrendous - and of course the Republicans now are trying to twist it and blame it on Obama.

One thing I can say for the Republicans they are good at twisting and turning crap into gold.

I wish the democrats would figure out how to sweet talk more and put their issues out there more.

Couldn't agree more, Kelly. It just frustrates me that when there's a clear and simple basis for mounting an investment-led recovery, your nation's congress completely fouled it up by putting partisan dogma and short-term political advantage before the nation's needs.

As long as the Republicans think that screwing Obama is more important than doing what's best for the country as a whole you won't progress or recover.

[BellaBellucci]

'Report: Federal government paying for empty planes to fly around Nevada'

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44115003/ns/local_news-reno_nv/

~BB~

[Silcc69]

The usual republican trolls haven't arrived yet.

[Willie Escalade]

I posted this as a note on my Facebook page...it's about Congress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone posted this on Yahoo in reply to a story. Frankly it's a damn good idea...

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it.
That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress
is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. Any congressman resigning due to unlawful acts receives NO benefits.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS !

[MrsKellyPierce]

^^^^ Right - That's why most of congress could care less..

[Herkyalert]

It will never happen. Politics is a "good old boys club" and often times good people turn into sell-outs.

I agree nobody should ever be in politics for the money, it should be a civil service job and not a career.

[william.howl]

Have you guys seen the documentary movie "Inside Job"? It is a pretty good description of the financial meltdown and the part played by the bankers. Many of those people should be in prison.

[Emigre]

Found this on another site yesterday...

http://i.imgur.com/NbO4R.png

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but it's not quite that simple.

[BigDF]

I'm not saying to ignore the tax dodging corporations and executives. I'm saying it is still wasteful to pay four ex-presidents.

We do NOT need to cut teacher's salaries. The average teacher is barely making it on a $40,000 budget. Some of their budget is used for their jobs. I work on a campus. Some teachers have to spend $5000 on their job alone. Teachers should be paid more because their jobs are more important than most jobs in the US. They train the future of this nation. Fuck them over and the education system will take another blow.Kelly's chart was for comparison, Franklin. I don't think anyone is talking about cutting their wages. :geek:

[needsum]

I posted this as a note on my Facebook page...it's about Congress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone posted this on Yahoo in reply to a story. Frankly it's a damn good idea...

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it.
That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress
is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. Any congressman resigning due to unlawful acts receives NO benefits.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS !


100% YES. This has been a personal riff with me for years. I hate that what was once an honored position has become some entitlemet bullshit job that panders and caters to the few while fucking over the masses. This is a start, and then the next step is to lop off one hand from each of the lobbyists in Washington who have done more than their fair share of steering good intenions down the rabbit hole. Fucking lawerys and politicians. I say we burn them all at the stake an start fresh.

[BellaBellucci]

It will never happen. Politics is a "good old boys club" and often times good people turn into sell-outs.

I agree nobody should ever be in politics for the money, it should be a civil service job and not a career.

Just like porn. :geek:

~BB~

[trish]

Kelly's chart was for comparison, Franklin. I don't think anyone is talking about cutting their wages. :geek:

I realize Kelly included teacher's salaries for comparison and that she's not advocating cutting their wages. But that doesn't no one is. Governor Scott Walker wants to deny collective bargaining to teachers unions (i.e. he's out to break teacher's unions, cut teacher pay, cut teacher benefits and royally screw the children of Wisconsin. And these clowns say they support family values!

[robertlouis]

I realize Kelly included teacher's salaries for comparison and that she's not advocating cutting their wages. But that doesn't no one is. Governor Scott Walker wants to deny collective bargaining to teachers unions (i.e. he's out to break teacher's unions, cut teacher pay, cut teacher benefits and royally screw the children of Wisconsin. And these clowns say they support family values!

Yep, screwing over the middle and working classes while letting the richest retain their wealth. Madness.

[onmyknees]

Well I see it's become fashionable to post political topics in the general discussion...and why not...the only time the mods wake up is when someone mentions a bad experience at a club who the mods apparently have some connection to...other than that, it's a free for all....so in that spirit...some observations...



Trish...unable to deal with reality or democracy for that matter. She sits in NY and she preaches to us about what should happen in Wisconsin. Where the citizens...
1. elected Scott Walker and a fiscally conservative legislature
2. elected a state supreme court justice that would uphold Walker and the legislature's fiscal decisions
3. Just Voted again to retain the fiscally conservative majority in the State Legislature in recall elections.

I'd say your folks had 3 shots at the apple Trish and failed. You've pretty much had your way in Wisconsin for decades, now that you don't, you have trouble dealing with it. Move out the way, the people have spoken three times.


Robert Louis...You pretend a lot...first you pretended to be some else until Steven confronted you, now you pretend you know the intricacies of US politics. You got your own fucking mess over there...clean your house before telling us how to clean ours. You should see clearly now what your political philosophy has beget over there, so now you want us to emulate it? Fuck off

Kelly Shore.....As Sweet a lady as can be, but not much on monetary or fiscal policy

Silcc...just a young black dude with no where else to go, and nothing much to contribute. He's a "me too" kinda guy. Likes being part of the crowd.

Did I miss anybody? I'm sure you'll tell me ! lol

Look...I realize you all have buyers remorse with Obama, and you'll never admit that, so this is the manifestation of that. You'll cry about the Bush tax cuts, ( which your guy extended) and Scott Walker and union busting...blah blah blah... but here's the fact you all have to come to terms with just like an addict has to admit he has a problem before he can be helped. You all gave the Libs all 3 branches of government with veto and filibuster proof majorities. Democratic operatives swooned about 40 year majorities. Your guy said this himself..."If I can't turn the economy around in 4 years...I'll be a one term President" Remember all the world was about to undergo a transformation on election night in 2008. You could have passed any bill, any budget you wanted from repeal of DOMA to the repeal of incandescent light bulbs..Then it came time for the 3 branches of government controlled by the liberals to actually govern. Well.......the majority of Americans told you on election night in 2010 they didn't care much for the way you squandered your powerful majorities. Even your guy called it a "shellacking". That is an indisputable fact along with the rest of what I wrote above so tear into me as much as you'd like, but your anger and frustration are misplaced. I'm easy to project your hate onto...in fact I like that, but you all have some serious political issues to deal with and hating me isn't gonna help all that much ! Deal with your political failure like fucking adults and stop placing blame everywhere except where it belongs. When you do, maybe Americans will take notice that you're ready to actually try to govern again... until then you can use HA as you little liberal support group for each other. Kleenex anyone? :dancing:

[Silcc69]

onmyknees, you kill me dude you're nothing but a follower to the conservative right cause that LOL all the time at your lame azz jokes.

[DaveinBoston]

Kelly, Emigre and everyone else who figured out the total costs... your numbers and assumptions are WAY OFF.

For example:

A US Congressmen makes $174,000/yr but it's not for life.....this is an excerpt:

-----------------
Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.
The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[PomonaCA]

Given current testing scores and drop out rates, lots of teachers are overpaid even at 40k. Not all, but A LOT!

[trish]

There you go again OMK making assumptions about, well just about everything, but in particular about the people on this board whom you disagree with. Why don't you just restrict your remarks to the issues at hand and leave the personal remarks out of it. Where'd you get the idea I live or ever lived in NY? I don't and never did. I was born in Pennsylvania and reside now in the rural MidWest. And why the fuck would living in NY negate anyone's political opinion. Geographical bigotry, like any other kind has no place in rational argument. If you're so apt to make wrong assumptions over and over again (you know this isn't the first time) about the people you actually have contact with on almost a daily basis...you're here almost every day) why should we trust your assumptions and opinions about things political?

[trish]

Teachers can't force children to learn. We pay them to be guides through the slopes, passages of knowledge. Children have to agree to make the climb. Parents are responsible for providing an environment at home conducive to that endeavor. Unfunded mandates and idiotic testing policies (Bush's education fiasco), along with broken homes, Americans who don't believe in science or subscribe to enlightenment values make the job of the educator almost impossible. Most teachers are way way underpaid.

[PomonaCA]

Teachers can't force children to learn. We pay them to be guides through the slopes, passages of knowledge. Children have to agree to make the climb. Parents are responsible for providing an environment at home conducive to that endeavor. Unfunded mandates and idiotic testing policies (Bush's education fiasco), along with broken homes, Americans who don't believe in science or subscribe to enlightenment values make the job of the educator almost impossible. Most teachers are way way underpaid.

40K seems like a lot of money for someone who is held to little standard. If we're going to blame parents and students, then let's pay the "slopes" accordingly.

Now if we expect performance from teachers, maybe we can talk about salary.

Honestly though... teachers aren't the problem..... but I will say that most teachers are ignoramuses with regard to education funding and politics. If the average teacher weren't so ignorant, they'd through their union off their back and go straight into the communities they serve.

[Jackal]

I posted this as a note on my Facebook page...it's about Congress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone posted this on Yahoo in reply to a story. Frankly it's a damn good idea...

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it.
That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress
is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. Any congressman resigning due to unlawful acts receives NO benefits.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS !

Can Corporations and Private Interest groups literally buy the costs of a politician's expensive campaign? Until that is fixed, there is no chance to end the corruption.

[Jackal]

Attempting to take away the rights of teachers does not affect the budget at all. Walker is a quisling and a wannabe dictator. It had shit to do with fiscal consideration.

[DaveinBoston]

Wow... you guys have to do some fact checking before you quote your numbers and even more so when you post a chain email.

http://www.factcheck.org/2011/03/congressional-reform-act/




I posted this as a note on my Facebook page...it's about Congress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone posted this on Yahoo in reply to a story. Frankly it's a damn good idea...

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it.
That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in
office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress
is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. Any congressman resigning due to unlawful acts receives NO benefits.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS !