I may be passing along a rumor here, but I am okay with that on this subject. I have heard and read a lot of talk lately about proposed bailouts for the pension plans of some government workers’ unions. I believe that these reports are true, at least to the degree that these bailouts are being strongly considered. As such, I want to generate anger so that we can put a stop to this theft of public funds and use of the funds to commit bribery.
The proposal is that We the People will take on $165 billion obligation to unfunded pensions via the Pension Benefit Guarantee Program. These pensions are under funded due to, among other things, the current economic situation.
I truly feel very sorry for the workers whose pensions are poorly funded. It is terrible that people expected money to be available to them when they retired and now it won’t be there. The problem is particularly serious for those close to retirement who don’t have the time to make up the loss. However, as sorry as I feel for these people, I don’t feel sorry enough to want to donate my money to help them, and I don’t feel empowered to donate my children’s money to them. (If you feel the need to support this cause I have no doubt you can make a donation – just don’t try to force me to support this cause). I have my own issues; I am unemployed. Yet, those that support these bailouts propose to force me to give my money and my children’s money via taxes and debt. I will not have the option of giving or not giving to this cause.
Folks, let’s call this what this is; it is a vote buying scheme. It is theft of our money, and then bribery with that money, and it should be treated as such. If an elected official were to pay voters out of their campaign funds to go to the polls and vote for his or her reelection, they would be charged with voter fraud and bribery. This is worse because they are using tax money to pay these bribes – money taken from We the People. It is time to recall these people on charges of theft of public funds and bribery. It does not matter whether government funds, our money, is being used to bribe union voters or bribe corporations. It doesn’t matter whether these criminals are Democrats or Republicans……
This is theft and bribery and We the People need to put a stop to it.
{ 4 comments }
Hi Robert,
As always, I appreciate your point of view and love how you refuse to stop raising important issues. However, I think you need to choose your words carefully, here, so as to keep to your principles. First, perhaps your goal should not be to generate anger, but awareness and disgust, for as we all know, “Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
Second, instead of referring to why you don’t want to donate money (which, given your situation, is understandable), try “as sorry as I feel for these people, I don’t feel sorry enough to force everyone else to donate to them.” This is important because the issue has little or nothing to do with whether you want to donate the money; it is about requiring everyone to do so.
Thirdly, despite the fact that this probably is, in part, a vote buying scheme, calling it such does not advance debate; it is simply an ad hominem attack for which there is no response other than tuning you out. Remember what you wrote during the climax of the health care debate, “We the People are fundamentally and dangerously divided over the path forward. Now is the time for careful, rational thinking and vigorous but respectful debate. Not shouting as usual.”
All the best,
Adam
You are correct. Your comments are excellent and I will take them as a lesson. We all need to be careful about how we state our views, particularly those of us that take part in the world of blogging. Thank you.
Adam, I see you are a skillful teacher and Robert an accountable student. Thinking about restating your position is self antagonistic, admitting to it is admirable. My favorite concept to explain to kids, when I volunteer. Adam, I am pretty sure the answer is 2
I think you would advance this as a principled stance against most social programs–fair enough. But if we’re not booting all people on Social Security off the roles and we’re not willing to put retirees out on the street it makes sense to do something. If the government has guaranteed the pensions, they’ve agreed to bail them out and it’s the right thing to do. If not, it could still be the most practical solution. Would it be cheaper than taking the funds and putting the pensioners into the Social Security system, for example? Since it’s a rumor, it’s hard to respond. If we’re cutting pork, certainly we could find some that’s less objectionable.