Change the System


       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 U.S. 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?"
   
       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..