Lawmakers Never Faced With Losing Benefits

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON - Members of Congress occasionally lose elections, but they never lose retirement and health benefits that most Americans can only envy.

A lawmaker who retires at 60 after just 12 years in office can count on receiving an immediate pension of $25,000 a year and lifetime benefits that could total more than $800,000.

That doesn't include 401(k) benefits. And any member who lasts five years in office also can get taxpayer-subsidized health care until he or she reaches Medicare age.

Congressional pensions tend to be far more generous than those offered in the private sector. Benefits start earlier and — unlike most private pension plans promising a fixed monthly payment based on years worked and pay — come with annual cost-of-living increases. They also accrue a third faster than the average plan offered by private companies.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/congress_benefits

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. This is such a no-brainer

I say we take away THEIR health insurance and watch them squirm like our Medicaid clients do.

[merwin]

15. They make enough money that they can pay for it themselves easliy.

There would be no squirming.

[izzie]

2. How come no one runs to cut all this stuff out?

I would think he would get in in a minute with that.

[Greyhound]

4. I think it's because he/she would be gauranteed to get only one term

the power in DC would ensure that person would be DOA and kill any hope for re-election.

[wain]

5. Maybe they all run to get on the gravy train

Too many politicians come to enjoy the power of office and begin to act like they are part of an elite class.

Over time I'm afraid I've become cynical toward pols in general.
:yoiks:

[2Design]

6. they made a law when they did this that you can't mess with it

Every time they talk about cuts - I think of this and how they are protecting their own pensions and benefits by cutting the peasants

seems pretty mean - many republicans work for the government and then have other jobs too - they seem to get first choice on these cushy jobs -

our taxes pay for them to have lots of time off
they want to cut social security to protect their own

people just don't get this

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. There is no law that can't be undone.

Within the bounds of the Constitution.

[izzie]

20. If I recall Perry in the House or was it Penny did run on all this

I seem to recall two young men who ran on clearing the place up but one left as he said he would only stay so long and the other really fought the budget and all and then he just was gone. One from each party. I guess it is like the CEO's and their pay with the directors of the Corp. all in on the 'stealing' of the profits from the workers and company. Stock holders are happy and do not care as they stocks go up.It has to be some thing like that as many of these CEO's just plain run the companies into the ground and still make millions for doing it..These directors are really just there to pick up 10,000 to turn up and vote once a year. Even Bush was on one that make sexy movies but got his once a year show up and pay. These people do stick together.

[karynnj]

12. I would think so too - but Kerry's amendment to take

away government pensions for people officials found guilty of things like taking bribes was excluded from the Senate lobby reform bill.

[rodeodance]

3. I have not heard of any plan of the Dems. Has anyone?

Members of Congress also participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or FEHB, which covers some 8 million federal workers. The FEHB is lauded as a model for a large-scale comprehensive health care plan, and lawmakers are frequently criticized for failing to come up with a comparable system for the tens of millions of Americans without adequate health care.

The key ingredient of the FEHB, said Robert Moffit, director of health policy studies at the Heritage Foundation, is "the government doesn't force you into some kind of straitjacket."

Participants choose from about a dozen fee-for-service plans, plus several hundred HMO plans and, more recently, health savings accounts paired with high-deductible health plans.

The government pays an average 72 percent of premiums, less than the average 82 percent that employers in the private sector paid in 2003, according to a Labor Department survey. Retiring legislators, as well as other federal workers, can continue to participate after just five years of enrollment, and the government continues to pick up 72 percent of the premiums.

[ixion]

7. and people wonder where all the money goes... Congress should NOT

have a beyond Cadillac® pension plan. In fact, I don't think they should have a pension plan at all. Being a member of congress should NOT be a career position.

This is precisely what happens when it becomes one. If you can give yourself a raise and awesome benefits, you'll do that.

Their compensation should be up to the bosses, that is, We, the People. :grr:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. More Hypocrisy

What happened to the "Contract For America" pledge that Congress would start living under the same laws as the rest of us? Seems like they forgot about that? ;-) I don't believe that anything will ever change for the rest of us until our elected representatives, Republicans AND Democrats, are FORCED to deal with some of the same issues/concerns that the rest of us do. When THEY have to face the prospect of possibly living without a "cushy" pension and good health insurance coverage like most of us, maybe we will finally see some positive changes. Also, I believe that anybody who is convicted of a crime while serving as an elected representative should LOSE their pension or health insurance coverage or have it severely reduced as a result.

[Sgent]

9. I will defend them on this

Their pension & benefits for newly elected (since circa 1982) is no different than any federal worker.

We may believe that federal benefits are too generous -- but picking on congress directly is somewhat disengineous.

[lovuian]

10. and they don't have to worry about healthcare

Americans need to get the same benefits!!!

[jwirr]

13. I want the to create a universal single payer system as soon as

they can BUT failing that I want them to voluntarily give up their own coverage and put themselves in the Medicare plan A, B, D. Then we will see some action. Actually justice since they all get paid enough would be for them to go without any insurance and pay for their care out of pocket.

[Sadie5]

14. Same on the state level

Under the guidance of Mitch Daniels the Indiana legislature voted themselves a great Insurance/retirement package. With so many people out of work you would think that they would have taken pity on our good citizens.

[CBHagman]

16. Bush administration pushed health savings accounts today.

I counted three people pushing health savings accounts (i.e., a plan that would require purchasing insurance with a high deductible and use of a tax-free savings account to pay for medical bills) today -- Bush, Secretary of the Treasury John Snow, and Allan Hubbard.

Never mind that savings rates are very, very low among Americans and disposable income for the average person is quite limited. If you check housing, drug, and gasoline prices, life is getting pretty unaffordable for many of us. Many of us don't itemize our tax returns, either.

As you might expect, the HSA plan seems to be naught but a new tax-free savings account for those who are healthy, young, and/or well-off enough to afford to live with bare-bones coverage.

Some believe that the HSAs could be a Trojan horse to facilitate elimination of employer-backed HMO and PPO plans, much the way 401(k)s replace defined benefit pension plans.

I have been raising hell to elected officials about this for some time, and I'm not going to stop any time soon. We should be able to remove this from agenda, much as Social Security "reform" petered out, but it'll be a challenge.

I suspect any advances in coverage will be incremental rather than sweeping. We should work for the changes but also be sure to fight off disasters waiting to happen, such as HSAs.

[area51]

21. "HSAs could ... facilitate elimination of employer-backed HMO & PPO plans"

That's what I fear. As usual, instead of wisely investing in America's future by starting universal healthcare, we're moving toward only the CEOs being offered healthcare.

[AuntiBush]

17. And the GOP have the nerve

to want to take our Social Security away, and allow corporations to take pensions while CEO's get their HUGE share of the lion's mouth. Like Exxon's CEO (today's news).

GOP nerve & their supports rally them on, all the while never realizing their selling their own selves, grandparents, parents and children out.

[2Design]

18. most have government jobs with pensions - they are taking care of

themselves and their children by taking EVERYTHING from the masses - while feeding them crosses and fishes

[BrklynLiberal]

19. The most important quote in the story...

"I don't think that many people in Congress would be quite so indifferent to the demise of the defined-benefit plan if they didn't have such a robust plan themselves,"

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. Exactly!