"McCain" and the "Veterans"

I couldn't get the second link to open, I opened the first one and can't believe what I read .......I never expected anything like that....All I can say is WOW! I read it fast, however I am going to go back to it when I have more time to read and I will try and get that second link to open

THIS IS WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT

Salary of retired US Presidents .............$450,000 FOR LIFE

Salary of House/Senate members ..........$174,000 FOR LIFE

Salary of Speaker of the House .............$223,500 FOR LIFE

Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders .....$193,400 FOR LIFE

Average salary of a soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN - $38,000

Average income for seniors on SOCIAL SECURITY - $12,000

I think we found where the cuts should be made!

Skeeter,

Not sure where you got the "FOR LIFE" portion of your numbers from, but it is incorrect. The salaries you've quoted are the ANNUAL salries of the President and Congressman. As a matter of fact, the President "only" makes $400,000. The additional $50,000 you quoted is for his expense account.

Here's an explanation of the retirement benefits that Congressmen are entitled to. Still a hefty amount by anyones standards.

Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.

Here's an interesting read on the benefits former Presidents are entitled to once they leave office.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-249.pdf

AP posted the numbers

Joe,

I hope that you are going to be able to get with us when I come in Nov. I am combing through my old cookbooks to find you a vintage one.

Thanks KH gal. Can always use one of the old recipes. A number of the ones I have posted are old ones. Figuring on meeting with you when you here, all depends what day and time, but that will be worked out later.