The soul has greater need of the ideal than the real for it is by the real that we exist, it is by the ideal that we live

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

There is no darkness but ignorance

if Americans didn't rely on misinformation, they likely wouldn't know anything at all.

Today I read an article speaking to Government workers and their exorbitant benefits.  Really?

Let's take a look at a few cases I know of personally.

First, we have a man who started his working life at HHS as a benefits authorizer. He left after a few years in order to work a job as a pharmaceutical rep so he could pay for his mother's nursing home, which he couldn't afford on his government salary. After ten years of that he returned to HHS and though he resumed his position he was forced into early retirement by a new regime that thought him as a man in his late 50's as disposable.  He was awarded as government employees can be with a 12k lump sum, which he used to purchase a new car.  His monthly pension?  $950.  He gets no social security as a government employee.

Second, we have a woman who after a selection of jobs with the state found herself in a position to retire with a combined 30 years of employment.  Her retirement?  $1200.  $650 of which goes to pay for health insurance for her and her husband.  She isn't eligible for Social security yet.

Third, let's look at what my own benefits would have been had I been allowed to stay at the library.  I intended to retire at 62 at which time I would have received $750 per month in pension, as well as an additional $1000 in Social Security.  This does not count what it would have cost me for health insurance, which likely would have been approx $450. per month.  So my income would have been $1300 per month.  This is living like a king?

Now let's take a look at my benefits as an adjunct associate professor at the community college.


$0
(p.s. the salary is laughable, and I have to threaten them with legal action to get it)

So this article in which misinformed Americans tell tales about government workers that are getting astronomical pensions and retiring with outrageous benefits is misinformation. Pure and simple.  What we can't afford is to believe a word any politician tells us. THAT'S what's so expensive.

Yet they lap it up like dogs.

And so it goes:

No comments: