Maybe a little bit of a sidetrack but still political in nature. Here is an e-mail I recieved today:


Subject: Social Security

This must be an issue in "04". Keep it going.
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 and, course, they do not collect from it. Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society.
They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. Many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.
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 $7,800,000.00 (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.

Nada.Zilch.

This little perk 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 Funds-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 (l) 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. How many people can YOU send this to? Or will you just read this and ignore your rights, saying what good would it do? That's what most people will do.....NOTHING!

They do too have a conscience!! They just spell it a little differently than the rest of us do:

w-a-l-l-e-t

Actually that internet message about Congress and Social Security is an Urban Legend that's been going around. See:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/pensions.htm

Not to mention the pay raises that go into effect automatically unless they hapen to vote against it (like THAT would ever happen!) Do you know of any other place where the employees (and they are supposed to be public employees) can set their own pay?

Thats the secret, timing. George can stay in the house, I'll run things from Killeen and telecommute.

I agree that things can probably be run better and that most politicians are crooks (my family grew up on a "political block"), however, I wouldn't want their job. I am happily fine with being the big bad Compliance Specialist! However long we gripe about how horrible it is, I am happy that we don't have a Hitler running this country.

Should be a piece of cake with your wireless PDA and all your other kewl toys.

Yea. I could rule from the throne!

TMI, TMI!!

So Andy, can I have a cabinet post? I want one that pays a bunch, but doesn't have any real job duties.

If Andy's ruling from the thrown, is a cabinet position the linen closet?

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Free the Valley!!!!!!

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The anti-secession ads said something like, "There will be additional expenses and you might lose rent control."

If the valley abolished rent control, the property values would increase, the tax base would increase, and there would be plenty of money to pay for the purported extra expenses.

I agree with you. Every election, people say that they are tired of the mudslinging and arguing. Maybe so, but here's how I see it. As long as those politicians continue to argue, and as long as the citizens of this country are allowed to tell them what they think of them, through venues like talk radio, internet, and the voting booth, we still live in a free country. I will take political mudslinging and arguing above government propaganda and thought police every time.

By the way, President Andy, can we start a list of laws we'd like to see repealed during your tenure as President?

OOH! Yeah!! I want Reg CC gone, then CRA, then HOEPA, then Patriot Act. But of course, first and foremost - DEATH TO RESPA!!

Don't get carried away. Too much deregulation is bad for our employment.

But Reg. CC is history.

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Don't get carried away. Too much deregulation is bad for our employment.

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Yeah, but then we can all get jobs as loan officers! Wait...uh...is that a good thing?

No, remember - if we help put you in office, you have to give us jobs. Doesn't matter if we're qualified or not!

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you have to give us jobs. Doesn't matter if we're qualified or not!

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Why should our world differ from the real world.

It's a sure bet we won't be buying our way into an "elevated" position! Just remember, Andy, if you want to keep the power - Thou shalt not anger teachers, bankers, or rednecks! Our former governor learned that lesson the hard way

If we got jobs as loan officers we would (1) make more money, (2) work less hours, (3) get more perks, (4) make more money (expense reports), (5) work less hours (business calls, golf outings, lunch meetings), (6) make more money (sponge off of existing and potential clients), and the beat goes on and on and on

Did you mention MORE MONEY! (Oh, yeah....I see it now )
Not to mention the christmas goodies, cheese platters, coffee cakes, expensive chocolates, fruit cakes (Ok, so I don't really need the fruit cake!), cookies, etc.
No one ever sends the compliance officer any christmas goodies!

Only time they know you exist is when you have to tell them something they do not want to hear....