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Post by The Aztec Panther on Nov 24, 2010 6:27:56 GMT -8
What? That the state workers' unions are destroying California? Another conservative rant un connected to reality. Wow, talk about unconnected to reality! Check the numbers. Look at what percentage of the California budget is made up of salaries and pension service. Then look at how much that pension service is expected to grow by 2020. We're screwed. California has more employees than it needs, pays them more than people in comparable private sector jobs get, and gives them pensions that are more generous than just about any in the country. That is unsustainable as people are living longer and longer. California will be paying a huge percentage of it's budget to people who aren't even working anymore. Hell, it's already started and it's a problem. How will the state pay for all of that when we're already the highest taxed state in most categories? Higher taxes isn't a realistic option as the state has already driven out a ton of businesses and a significant portion of the middle class. |
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Post by The Great Aztec Joe on Nov 24, 2010 15:43:25 GMT -8
Another conservative rant un connected to reality. Wow, talk about unconnected to reality! Check the numbers. Look at what percentage of the California budget is made up of salaries and pension service. Then look at how much that pension service is expected to grow by 2020. We're screwed. California has more employees than it needs, pays them more than people in comparable private sector jobs get, and gives them pensions that are more generous than just about any in the country. That is unsustainable as people are living longer and longer. California will be paying a huge percentage of it's budget to people who aren't even working anymore. Hell, it's already started and it's a problem. How will the state pay for all of that when we're already the highest taxed state in most categories? Higher taxes isn't a realistic option as the state has already driven out a ton of businesses and a significant portion of the middle class. Everybody with a brain knows that the last ten years in California have been disastrous when it comes to outrageous pensions. The only way out is for the state to declare bankruptcy. We all know it. The question is who will do it. I think Arnold really should. He does not have higher elective office to seek after, so he can admit the obvious and retire after the official bankruptcy is adjudicated in court. All pensions will be cut to a maximum of 30K a year regardless of former income and previous pension guarantees. As far as I know, people can not sue a BK judge. |
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Post by The Great Aztec Joe on Nov 24, 2010 15:45:35 GMT -8
If we do not declare bankruptcy, California will have to hit everybody for 30 percent of their income to pay for our looming debt.
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 24, 2010 16:27:37 GMT -8
Another conservative rant un connected to reality. Wow, talk about unconnected to reality! Check the numbers. Look at what percentage of the California budget is made up of salaries and pension service. Then look at how much that pension service is expected to grow by 2020. We're screwed. California has more employees than it needs, pays them more than people in comparable private sector jobs get, and gives them pensions that are more generous than just about any in the country. That is unsustainable as people are living longer and longer. California will be paying a huge percentage of it's budget to people who aren't even working anymore. Hell, it's already started and it's a problem. How will the state pay for all of that when we're already the highest taxed state in most categories? Higher taxes isn't a realistic option as the state has already driven out a ton of businesses and a significant portion of the middle class. Public pensions are out of control. It will take a Democrat to handle it. Sort of like it took a Republican to open diplomatic relations with China. On the other hand think about the children of those retirees with fat pensions. If their parents are frugal at all they should be building up nice savings accounts and paying off their houses. Maybe the child of a County employee and a school teacher will inherit some of misused tax dollars that were spent on those pensions. How knows. |
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Post by aztecwin on Nov 24, 2010 17:19:28 GMT -8
Wow, talk about unconnected to reality! Check the numbers. Look at what percentage of the California budget is made up of salaries and pension service. Then look at how much that pension service is expected to grow by 2020. We're screwed. California has more employees than it needs, pays them more than people in comparable private sector jobs get, and gives them pensions that are more generous than just about any in the country. That is unsustainable as people are living longer and longer. California will be paying a huge percentage of it's budget to people who aren't even working anymore. Hell, it's already started and it's a problem. How will the state pay for all of that when we're already the highest taxed state in most categories? Higher taxes isn't a realistic option as the state has already driven out a ton of businesses and a significant portion of the middle class. Public pensions are out of control. It will take a Democrat to handle it. Sort of like it took a Republican to open diplomatic relations with China. On the other hand think about the children of those retirees with fat pensions. If their parents are frugal at all they should be building up nice savings accounts and paying off their houses. Maybe the child of a County employee and a school teacher will inherit some of misused tax dollars that were spent on those pensions. How knows. OK, how about a real comment? We are going under and will not get federal help.What will we do? People and business with money are moving out of state. What is in our future? |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 24, 2010 21:28:38 GMT -8
Public pensions are out of control. It will take a Democrat to handle it. Sort of like it took a Republican to open diplomatic relations with China. On the other hand think about the children of those retirees with fat pensions. If their parents are frugal at all they should be building up nice savings accounts and paying off their houses. Maybe the child of a County employee and a school teacher will inherit some of misused tax dollars that were spent on those pensions. How knows. OK, how about a real comment? We are going under and will not get federal help.What will we do? People and business with money are moving out of state. What is in our future? My first paragraph was a real comment. The second was a troll. Now when are you taking yourself, and your money, back to Washington state? |
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Post by aztecwin on Nov 25, 2010 6:48:30 GMT -8
OK, how about a real comment? We are going under and will not get federal help.What will we do? People and business with money are moving out of state. What is in our future? My first paragraph was a real comment. The second was a troll. Now when are you taking yourself, and your money, back to Washington state? Unfortunately, I can't move unless I go alone. My money does not have to stay however and a lot has gone to Canada. Loonie is strong and dividends just keep growing. |
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Post by waztec on Nov 25, 2010 8:18:35 GMT -8
My first paragraph was a real comment. The second was a troll. Now when are you taking yourself, and your money, back to Washington state? Unfortunately, I can't move unless I go alone. My money does not have to stay however and a lot has gone to Canada. Loonie is strong and dividends just keep growing. . . .and it will be just your money going to Canada. Canada restricts immigration of people over age 52. |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 25, 2010 11:32:01 GMT -8
My first paragraph was a real comment. The second was a troll. Now when are you taking yourself, and your money, back to Washington state? Unfortunately, I can't move unless I go alone. My money does not have to stay however and a lot has gone to Canada. Loonie is strong and dividends just keep growing. Wonderful. We pay taxes to pay your pensions, which is bankrupting this country, and you send your money out of the country. Wow, conservatives.  |
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Post by The Aztec Panther on Nov 25, 2010 17:29:28 GMT -8
Anyone who served in the military for 20+ years deseves his/her pension. Military service is anything but easy, and far from risk free (there are accidental deaths in peacetime, too - it's a dangerous job).
I've got no gripe at all with someone who had the guts to do something that I didn't collecting a pension after 20 years. I probably couldn't have made it through bootcamp with my health issues, so how can I complain about someone who was willing to put his/her life on the line?
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Post by aztecwin on Nov 25, 2010 19:40:26 GMT -8
Unfortunately, I can't move unless I go alone. My money does not have to stay however and a lot has gone to Canada. Loonie is strong and dividends just keep growing. . . .and it will be just your money going to Canada. Canada restricts immigration of people over age 52. I just hope I can visit from time to time.  |
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Post by aztecwin on Nov 25, 2010 19:41:35 GMT -8
Unfortunately, I can't move unless I go alone. My money does not have to stay however and a lot has gone to Canada. Loonie is strong and dividends just keep growing. Wonderful. We pay taxes to pay your pensions, which is bankrupting this country, and you send your money out of the country. Wow, conservatives. Thanks! |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 25, 2010 21:51:15 GMT -8
Anyone who served in the military for 20+ years deseves his/her pension. Military service is anything but easy, and far from risk free (there are accidental deaths in peacetime, too - it's a dangerous job). I've got no gripe at all with someone who had the guts to do something that I didn't collecting a pension after 20 years. I probably couldn't have made it through bootcamp with my health issues, so how can I complain about someone who was willing to put his/her life on the line? Indeed they do, Eric. However, it is unfunded. Also, I doubt that anyone gave much thought to what those pensions would cost when adjusted by COLAs. When someone enlists at 18, retires on 20, and lives for another 40 years his pension will be more than his active duty pay. Probably more at 30 years of retirement. If you think that they retire on half pay alone remember that it is not fixed. If you are worried about government deficits, this is part of it. |
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Post by The Aztec Panther on Nov 25, 2010 23:35:47 GMT -8
Anyone who served in the military for 20+ years deseves his/her pension. Military service is anything but easy, and far from risk free (there are accidental deaths in peacetime, too - it's a dangerous job). I've got no gripe at all with someone who had the guts to do something that I didn't collecting a pension after 20 years. I probably couldn't have made it through bootcamp with my health issues, so how can I complain about someone who was willing to put his/her life on the line? Indeed they do, Eric. However, it is unfunded. Also, I doubt that anyone gave much thought to what those pensions would cost when adjusted by COLAs. When someone enlists at 18, retires on 20, and lives for another 40 years his pension will be more than his active duty pay. Probably more at 30 years of retirement. If you think that they retire on half pay alone remember that it is not fixed. If you are worried about government deficits, this is part of it.A tiny part. Not a lot of people make it through 20 years in the military. Most people do their 4 or 5 and that's it. A lot of others do 8-10 and go civilian after that. The number of people who make it to retirement status in the military has always been small, and it's smaller now than it used to be. |
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Post by waztec on Nov 26, 2010 8:28:19 GMT -8
. . .and it will be just your money going to Canada. Canada restricts immigration of people over age 52. I just hope I can visit from time to time. Yes, I checked the Canada site when Bush was president. I was surprised by the fact that I was too old. As the son of a thirty year sailor, I know the tremendous sacrifice military members make to defend us. It would be very hard for me, personally, to begrudge any service member a pension. My father's pension was not that large after thirty years, despite all the chatter about the cost. I have to tell you, though, that the families of military members have it rough too. There were times growing up, when my father was in Vietnam or on West Pac, where I was head of my household. That was hard work for a teenager in high school. |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 26, 2010 11:28:13 GMT -8
Indeed they do, Eric. However, it is unfunded. Also, I doubt that anyone gave much thought to what those pensions would cost when adjusted by COLAs. When someone enlists at 18, retires on 20, and lives for another 40 years his pension will be more than his active duty pay. Probably more at 30 years of retirement. If you think that they retire on half pay alone remember that it is not fixed. If you are worried about government deficits, this is part of it.A tiny part. Not a lot of people make it through 20 years in the military. Most people do their 4 or 5 and that's it. A lot of others do 8-10 and go civilian after that. The number of people who make it to retirement status in the military has always been small, and it's smaller now than it used to be. Got numbers? I do. |
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Post by davdesid on Nov 26, 2010 15:47:24 GMT -8
A tiny part. Not a lot of people make it through 20 years in the military. Most people do their 4 or 5 and that's it. A lot of others do 8-10 and go civilian after that. The number of people who make it to retirement status in the military has always been small, and it's smaller now than it used to be. Got numbers? I do. Let's have them. My numbers say that in the 2009 FY the Federal budget was over 3.5 Trillion. Out of that, the entire DoD budget was 661 Billion, about 19%. Of the DoD budget, about 147 Billion was for personnel costs, about 22% of DoD's budget, and about 4% of the total federal budget. Of that, about 46 Billion was for retired pay. That represents about 7% of DoD's budget, and 1.2% of the entire federal budget. Now, maybe that's just too much, and something needs to be done to reduce it to as close to zero as is possible. Bringing back the draft comes to mind. And yet.... American taxpayers are flushing nearly 27 Billion down the toilet every year by having to pay "tax specialists" to prepare their taxes. I'm for tax simplification. Not because I may pay more or less in taxes... but because the "professional" tax preparation leeches may have to find a different line of work. ;D |
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Post by aztecwin on Nov 26, 2010 16:02:19 GMT -8
Anyone who served in the military for 20+ years deseves his/her pension. Military service is anything but easy, and far from risk free (there are accidental deaths in peacetime, too - it's a dangerous job). I've got no gripe at all with someone who had the guts to do something that I didn't collecting a pension after 20 years. I probably couldn't have made it through bootcamp with my health issues, so how can I complain about someone who was willing to put his/her life on the line? Indeed they do, Eric. However, it is unfunded. Also, I doubt that anyone gave much thought to what those pensions would cost when adjusted by COLAs. When someone enlists at 18, retires on 20, and lives for another 40 years his pension will be more than his active duty pay. Probably more at 30 years of retirement. If you think that they retire on half pay alone remember that it is not fixed. If you are worried about government deficits, this is part of it. The Military is one of the few legit functions of government. All costs are part of the Military Budget. That is what our taxes are supposed to fund. Paying personnel costs along with hardware and infrastructure are the very least that we must do as a nation for protecting our interests. Those of us who are living too long for you liberal jerks are not going to go on much longer. With ObamaKare and cutting back on payment rates for Medicare and Tricare costs, the rationing is going to cut our lives short just as yours will be. Is that what you want? Do you want to waste money on inefficient programs like Healthcare within government that can be done better and cheaper privately? I realize you are either a troll or an ingrate and it matters not which. Many of us gave up a big part of our youth by choice to serve our nation. You and your ungrateful liberal fellow travelers can pack sand |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 26, 2010 16:35:28 GMT -8
Let's have them. My numbers say that in the 2009 FY the Federal budget was over 3.5 Trillion. Out of that, the entire DoD budget was 661 Billion, about 19%. Of the DoD budget, about 147 Billion was for personnel costs, about 22% of DoD's budget, and about 4% of the total federal budget. Of that, about 46 Billion was for retired pay. That represents about 7% of DoD's budget, and 1.2% of the entire federal budget. Now, maybe that's just too much, and something needs to be done to reduce it to as close to zero as is possible. Bringing back the draft comes to mind. And yet.... American taxpayers are flushing nearly 27 Billion down the toilet every year by having to pay "tax specialists" to prepare their taxes. I'm for tax simplification. Not because I may pay more or less in taxes... but because the "professional" tax preparation leeches may have to find a different line of work. ;D If you notice Erik was saying that very few retired from the military and that the numbers were going down. Those are the numbers that I was referring to.  |
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Post by aztec70 on Nov 26, 2010 16:38:48 GMT -8
Indeed they do, Eric. However, it is unfunded. Also, I doubt that anyone gave much thought to what those pensions would cost when adjusted by COLAs. When someone enlists at 18, retires on 20, and lives for another 40 years his pension will be more than his active duty pay. Probably more at 30 years of retirement. If you think that they retire on half pay alone remember that it is not fixed. If you are worried about government deficits, this is part of it. The Military is one of the few legit functions of government. All costs are part of the Military Budget. That is what our taxes are supposed to fund. Paying personnel costs along with hardware and infrastructure are the very least that we must do as a nation for protecting our interests. Those of us who are living too long for you liberal jerks are not going to go on much longer. With ObamaKare and cutting back on payment rates for Medicare and Tricare costs, the rationing is going to cut our lives short just as yours will be. Is that what you want? Do you want to waste money on inefficient programs like Healthcare within government that can be done better and cheaper privately? I realize you are either a troll or an ingrate and it matters not which. Many of us gave up a big part of our youth by choice to serve our nation. You and your ungrateful liberal fellow travelers can pack sand Oh, poor aztecwin. I have made him angry, or is it mad. Whichever works for me. |
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