Republicans' Next Move: Get Rid of Pensions Altogether

The battle over public-sector unions is, at least in part, a battle over benefits: From Wisconsin to New Jersey, public-sector unions are among the last employees who can expect to retire with defined pension plans. Wisconsin, where a political showdown just resulted in reduced bargaining rights for public employees, is expected to release new estimates on state pensions next week, according to The New York Times. The state will likely ask employees to contribute more money to their plans and make other concessions.

http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=republicans_next_move_get_rid_of_pensions_altogether






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Stock up on cat food

:eyes:

If you aren't clever enough to be rich, then FUCK YOU! <== should be the new slogan for the republican party

Take out a lot in fees every year and pretty soon, the plan is broke.

Have you ever seen NYC firefighters and cops pissed off??

Here's the thing... the time to fight for the "working man" was back when it was every working man on the block. The GOP is gonna come out and say:

YOU are paying for them to have a pension and YOU don't even have a pension yourself!

The REASON you don't have a pension is those greedy public employees!

You don't have anything, they do, and they want YOU to pay for it!

You pay for their cadillac healthcare when you cannot even see the doctor!


And it will work, because like it or not, there is a grain of truth there. Not that Cons are offering any answer beyond more of the same, but they can claim they are fighting to keep more money in the average worker's pocket. The question of who should pay for all this has been settled, with democrats and republicans BOTH agreeing that the poor and middle class should pay and the rich should get a pass. So we know who is getting stuck with the bill, the only debate now is how much will it cost.

Which is why I have been saying all along that the fight is over. You missed the war.

Ten thousand teachers didn't hit the bricks demanding healthcare for ALL, because they already had healthcare; they started marching when their taxpayer funded benies were threatened. They did not sell out their principles, they never had any to begin with. And I bet half the people gathered in WI did not give a crap about the teachers at all, they came to protest the GOP acting like douchebags. Public employees marching in the streets demanding more money from people who have no jobs... is that REALLY the message, because it sure seems to be.

This is the proverbial third rail, where the gloves to quote another cliche come off. By the time this happens even the ignorant tea bagging idiots will wake up. Take away pensions will leave many with nothing more to lose. Republicans will be openly known as the domestic enemy in our midst.

Tell them to take a good look at Japan right now and ask them who's out there trying to handle the disaster? Suit and tie execs? No, it's public sector workers for the most part.

They wanna cut wages, bust unions, tear up contracts and get rid of pensions? Fine, but when WE have an earthquake and a nuclear plant trying to melt down, don't expect near-minimum wage firefighters and first responders to get anywhere near the goddamn thing.

I've heard these grossly overpaid suits claim the rights to their so called self made fortunes by touting what big "risk takers" they are. Oh really, risk takers? Good, then you suits go put out the fires at that fucking nuke plant over there because you're too goddamned cheap to pay anybody else to do it. Go on, you big risk-takers!

:grr:

And they sacrificed their lives, just like the public sector employees in Japan.

Wall Street had a feeding frenzy with state and federal pensions.

Talking about firemen and police and teachers means nothing. The billionaires don't CARE. To them, firemen and teachers and cops are the help. Nothing more. They view you the way they view all the MA at their favorite liposuction clinic.

The people you need to reach are the NON public workers. Unless you have them on your side you have no one but yourselves. This is particularly important when you remember that they believe (correctly I might add) that they are the ones actually paying you. Yet for decades now, public workers have made it pretty clear that they consider themselves a cut above the private sector -- you can even see it in this thread: "We are the heroes who charge into burning buildings, we are the intelligencia who eductate your children, we deserve more." Here's a hint: everyone deserves better, including that guy with a college degree schlepping pizza at Little Caesar. For the last twenty years the only people in the country with benefits, job security, pensions, medical, all that, has been public workers and the wealthy.

In the class struggle between the "haves" and the "have-nots" guess where most people place you?