Received this email today...turns out Urban Legend - sorry!

[AEA]

How do we get our congress critters to get this done!

"No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, andreceive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense.

Monday on Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop?

35 States file lawsuit against the Federal Government

Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.

This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.

This is an idea that we should address.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.

If each person that receives this will forward it on to 20 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

[sjfcontrol]

How do we get our congress critters to get this done!

"No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, andreceive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense.

Monday on Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop?

35 States file lawsuit against the Federal Government

Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.

This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.

This is an idea that we should address.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.

If each person that receives this will forward it on to 20 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

I've been using that as a tag line on my emails for over a year now. Never even had anybody comment on it.

[Kythas]

How do we get our congress critters to get this done!

"No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, andreceive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense.

Monday on Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop?

35 States file lawsuit against the Federal Government

Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.

This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.

This is an idea that we should address.

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.

If each person that receives this will forward it on to 20 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

This is an urban legend. Congress operates under the same retirement plan as other Federal employees. They are eligible for retirement benefits at age 50 after 20 years of service, or at any age at 25 years of service or when they reach the age of 62. They are limited to 80% of their base pay. No member of Congress is eligible for any retirement benefits until they've served at least 5 years.

The amount of pension they receive depends on the number of years of service and the retirement package they chose when they started. Also, they do pay into Social Security (another common misconception).

My point - don't take emails as gospel.

[sjfcontrol]

You can't deny there are laws passed exclusively for the benefit of congress, or the detriment of the people. Obama-care comes to mind.

[Kythas]

You can't deny there are laws passed exclusively for the benefit of congress, or the detriment of the people. Obama-care comes to mind.

Absolutely not. I'm just saying much of the information in this particular email is untrue.

[AEA]

Thanks Kythas for pointing out the legend. I should have check it out before posting.

sjfcontrol,
What you said is what came to mind when I read the email, legend or not.

[ELB]

The line about military retiring after 20 with 50% pay is also misleading. It is 50% of base pay, not the total pay received each month. Members receive base pay (which is taxed unless serving in a combat zone), plus various allowances for housing, food, flight pay, "combat pay," and maybe some other allowances, none of which are taxed as income by the Feds. Base pay + housing + food make up the bulk of a service member's monthly income, and the food and housing allowance together make up a significant chunk of that.

So when you retire at 20, you get 50% of base pay, which works out to be something like 30-something % of your active duty pay. You can rely on the VA for medical care if you want, or you can pay for one of the Tri-Care insurane plans. (Tricare is very good with benefits for its cost in my opinion, and I am very grateful to have it, but it comes out of my retirement pay). Military retirement systems are no where near as generous as those for many state and county plans, which are eating the budgetary lunches of many cities and states now.

And yes, Congress has voted itself many little perks and advantages far in excess of what is reasonable, I think.

[The Mad Moderate]

The line about military retiring after 20 with 50% pay is also misleading. It is 50% of base pay, not the total pay received each month. Members receive base pay (which is taxed unless serving in a combat zone), plus various allowances for housing, food, flight pay, "combat pay," and maybe some other allowances, none of which are taxed as income by the Feds. Base pay + housing + food make up the bulk of a service member's monthly income, and the food and housing allowance together make up a significant chunk of that.

So when you retire at 20, you get 50% of base pay, which works out to be something like 30-something % of your active duty pay. You can rely on the VA for medical care if you want, or you can pay for one of the Tri-Care insurane plans. (Tricare is very good with benefits for its cost in my opinion, and I am very grateful to have it, but it comes out of my retirement pay). Military retirement systems are no where near as generous as those for many state and county plans, which are eating the budgetary lunches of many cities and states now.

And yes, Congress has voted itself many little perks and advantages far in excess of what is reasonable, I think.

The federal government has a pretty good retirement system. When I worked for the IRS I had Medical, Dental, Thrift savings plan with 5% matching. And generious pay for the work I was doing (although at higher levels a lot more money can be made in the private sector in an equivalent position). And hadI stayed, and I may still return, I would receive 1% of my three highest pay years for every year up to 45 years.

[Ameer]

There should be no government pensions or other retirement benefits except those the taxpayers get. Let them put money into IRA like the rest of us.

[Carry-a-Kimber]

The federal government has a pretty good retirement system. When I worked for the IRS I had Medical, Dental, Thrift savings plan with 5% matching. And generious pay for the work I was doing (although at higher levels a lot more money can be made in the private sector in an equivalent position). And had I stayed, and I may still return, I would receive 1% of my three highest pay years for every year up to 45 years.

1% of your three highest years? That doesn't sound like much money, I mean, 1% of $325,000.00 is only $3250.00. Is that per year or per month?

[The Mad Moderate]

The federal government has a pretty good retirement system. When I worked for the IRS I had Medical, Dental, Thrift savings plan with 5% matching. And generious pay for the work I was doing (although at higher levels a lot more money can be made in the private sector in an equivalent position). And had I stayed, and I may still return, I would receive 1% of my three highest pay years for every year up to 45 years.

1% of your three highest years? That doesn't sound like much money, I mean, 1% of $325,000.00 is only $3250.00. Is that per year or per month?

1.1 percent per year so 40 years = 44 percent of the average of three highest pay years. and hoi people in the private sector do get pensions some much more generous than the fed workers. The pay is often better in the private sector as well, the reason there are idiots in government jobs is because the smart ones go to the private sector to make much more. The benefits they do have are more than fair.

[Ameer]

It doesn't sound fair people without pensions have to pay higher taxes to subsidize other people's retirement, but that's socialism for you.

[Carry-a-Kimber]

The federal government has a pretty good retirement system. When I worked for the IRS I had Medical, Dental, Thrift savings plan with 5% matching. And generious pay for the work I was doing (although at higher levels a lot more money can be made in the private sector in an equivalent position). And had I stayed, and I may still return, I would receive 1% of my three highest pay years for every year up to 45 years.

1% of your three highest years? That doesn't sound like much money, I mean, 1% of $325,000.00 is only $3250.00. Is that per year or per month?

1.1 percent per year so 40 years = 44 percent of the average of three highest pay years. and hoi people in the private sector do get pensions some much more generous than the fed workers. The pay is often better in the private sector as well, the reason there are idiots in government jobs is because the smart ones go to the private sector to make much more. The benefits they do have are more than fair.

Gotcha, the way I read it you get paid 1% for up to 45 years. Makes a lot more sense now, thanks