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wig
09-04-2003, 12:25 PM
I received it by email today. I don't know how accurate this is, but it sounds about par.

By Rush Limbaugh:

I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving the 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 just 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 million 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 as 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 just voted themselves a raise, and 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 also 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, you may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed you in harm's way receive 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?"

And more...

This must be a campaign issue in 2004. Keep it going. SOCIAL SECURITY: (This is worth the read. It's short and to the point.) Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. Our Senators and Congressmen do not pay into Social Security. Many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000 - that's Seven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each. Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. These little perks they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Fund--our tax dollars at work! From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into -- every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer) --we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits!

Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made. And that change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us and then watch how fast they would fix it.
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve. WE, each one of us... can make a difference..

Almighty Colin
09-04-2003, 12:34 PM
Supply and demand. The government sets prices for military pay and benefits and enough people accept them that they don't have to be raised. Capitalism, my friend ;-)

Anyone have a link to info regarding 911 compensation? Is the government compensating people or is that private giving?



Last edited by Colin at Sep 4 2003, 11:43 AM

wig
09-04-2003, 12:42 PM
I don't have a problem capitalism. It is disturbing to see the differences, though.

I do find it distasteful that the politicians vote themselves all these perks in stark contrast to the peoples position. Democracy, my friend ;-)

Almighty Colin
09-04-2003, 12:44 PM
Originally posted by wig@Sep 4 2003, 11:50 AM
Democracy, my friend ;-)
Touché.



Last edited by Colin at Sep 4 2003, 11:53 AM

Mike AI
09-04-2003, 12:47 PM
I agree with Rush on this issue....

However the difference is with insurance. The buildings, all property inside, and people were covered over thousands of different insurance policies - many that overlapped....

I do think our soldiers should get better benefits, especially when in combat....

PornoDoggy
09-04-2003, 12:59 PM
:steemed: Wig, you are now on my list big time, buddy. :wub:

Posting shit from THAT MAN that I substantially agree with ... that's a low blow.

sharky
09-04-2003, 01:00 PM
Talk about a direct eye opener.

Isn't it rediculous?

Almighty Colin
09-04-2003, 01:06 PM
Congressmen deciding their own pay rate. That's something that wasn't included in division of powers.

SykkBoy
09-04-2003, 01:14 PM
Well, I guess if Rush talks enough, he's bound to say something I agree with and this is it.

I tried raising a similar issue on a political board nd was called a cold blooded bastard wh didn't care about the innocent victims of 9/11.

The same people calling me a commie for not agreeing with the war in Iraq don't seem to care any more about the troops then they are told to care by conservative radio commentators....

THIS situation and the recently announced cuts in pay to those in the services are exactly the thing that puisses me off. Everyone loves to pay lip service to supporting the troops, but that's all it is is lip service.

We had all of these congressmen calling for support of the troops, but wow much do they really support the military? How many of them served? How many of the "went to college" and AVOIDED the military?

I sure wish my grandfather had been a wealthy business owner or congressman and could have pulled strings to keep my father out of military service.

Sorry, just looking forward to another depressing weekend at the VA clinic here in Vegas helping out because they are short of staff and budgeting to hire more staff. This coupled with a bout of food poisoning that kept me off my feet and out of commission the last two days..makes me crankier than a woman who accidently puts her maxi-pad in adhesive side up....

wig
09-04-2003, 01:53 PM
Colin, ;-))

PD, my condolences. ;-)

Sykk, I really feel for you, bro. Hang in there, mano. ;-)

SykkBoy
09-04-2003, 02:07 PM
Originally posted by wig@Sep 4 2003, 01:01 PM
Colin, ;-))

PD, my condolences. ;-)

Sykk, I really feel for you, bro. Hang in there, mano. ;-)
hehehe, no worries
It just sucks I've been foodpoisoned twice already this year ;-)

The other stuff? I actually enjoy volunteering my time for the VA, it just gets depressing seeing how our vets are treated after the "support the troops" rally cries die down....



Last edited by SykkBoy at Sep 4 2003, 01:15 PM

Peaches
09-04-2003, 02:43 PM
From what I remember, the main reason these people are getting $$$ is in exchange for not suing the airlines and IF they won, putting the airlines involved into bankruptcy.

The scary thing is that with some of the lame juries I've seen results from recently, 12 morons could indeed put the blame on the airlines. :blink: But aren't the airlines in question either in bankruptcy or teetering on it ANYWAY? :headwall:

These same 3000+ people could have died that same day under any other circumstances - get shot, heart attack, car accident, etc. If you're financially responsible for dependants, then you have life insurance. As cold and heartless as it sounds, these people shouldn't get a penny of government money. Period.

Also, if I remember reading it correctly, there is a VERY low cost $250K life insurance policy members of the armed forces can get. Not that it disproves anything - just an aside. :)

PornoDoggy
09-04-2003, 04:46 PM
I don't disagree that each individual is responsible for carrying his/her own life insurance. I don't really think that has anything to do with this discussion. We live under a system where you can be forced to pay for negligence that contributes to the death of someone else. That determination of negligence is made by a court, and sometimes a jury. Sucky system, I supose, until you consider the alternatives.

Part of the reason that the government stepped in to at least partially shield the airlines in this case is that the airlines are an integral part of the national infrastructure. The decisions that the airlines made related to security probably wouldn't have fared well in the light of day ... and the role of the government in setting the requirements may not have done much better. So aside from protecting the national interests by shielding the airlines, I suspect that played a role in the decisions made about compensating the victims of 9/11.

Some of the servicemembers who don't elect to take the full $250,000 in insurance are probably doing something else with the money - and for every one doing something frivilous with it, there is probably another who can't get to the free-bread giveaways they have on military bases these days. It might seem like a short-sighted choice to somebody who has never been there, either in uniform or not - just a normal part of life for common folks, however.

OldJeff
09-05-2003, 06:20 AM
Rush read that on the air, he didn't write it, but a lot of it is paraphrased from things he has said.