Thousands of Russians protest Putin plan to raise pension ages

[JonLP24]

Source: USA Today

MOSCOW – For yet another weekend, thousands rallied across Russia on Saturday to protest the government’s plan to raise the eligibility age for retirement pensions by five years.

Several thousand people attended a Moscow rally organized by the Communist Party and other leftist groups, which was authorized by city officials. Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov called for rolling back the proposed changes, arguing that the government should redistribute resources to avoid raising the pension age.

“They keep reaching into your pockets,” he told protesters, who waved red flags.

The government’s plan to lift the retirement age for men from 60 years to 65 and for women from 55 to 63 has irked a wide range of Russians from all political factions. Older Russians fear they won’t live long enough to collect significant benefits while younger generations are worried that keeping people in the workforce longer will limit their own employment opportunities. The proposal has also dented President Vladimir Putin’s popularity.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/09/22/russia-protests-thousands-decry-putin-plan-raise-pension-age/1394112002/

[usaf-vet]

1. I'm confused... isn't that the GOP plan for Social Security retirement in U.S.A.

Last edited Sat Sep 22, 2018, 12:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Who is leading who around by the puppet strings?

So is it what is good for the Russians is now what is good for Americans?

Our Social Security is an EARNED BENEFIT. We pay into it throughout our working life.

Edit: to clarify my initial statement and the use of the word "entitlement".

[marybourg]

2. An "entitlement" IS an earned benefit.

You earn it, therefore you’re “entitled” to it. That’s exactly what the word means. Don’t let the rw change the meaning of words, in order to disparage our democracy.

[usaf-vet]

7. Agreed! It is a retirement age benefit we earned and are entitled to.

Thank you for pointing that out.

[PatSeg]

3. Five years for men

and eight years for women, that is a pretty drastic hike all at once, though their retirement age is far more reasonable than the U.S.

[not fooled]

4. The flip side

of strong men always seems to be looting the country and stealing from everyone who's not wealthy.

People who fall for the bullsh*t need to figure out this pattern and decide whether the swagger is worth getting screwed.

[greymattermom]

5. So how about pointing out a few inconvenient facts about Russia when it comes up?

This is their current retirement age, with a government pension (entitlement).
They have health care.
They have strict gun laws.

[Mosby]

8. the average life expectancy for a russian man is 64.

Not only do Russians drink too much but their environment is extremely polluted, air, water, everything.

[ansible]

12. Russian women have longer lifespans

Which also happens to be Putin's core support group, older babushkas love Putin

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I will be in Moscow this time next week. Hope protests/arrests don't

shut down tourist sights.

[marble falls]

9. Tax the ones with the money. Same advice here in the US.

[Spartacus101]

10. We could use a little shakeup in the same department here...

...when you get laid off at 62 here, try finding another gig. Then find out how much of that SSA benefit you're going to lose if you have to claim it early! The system is gamed so you don't collect full benefits until age 70!

The SSA system is far from what FDR wanted it to be; a way for seniors to retire and live "in dignity and free from want and poverty after a lifetime of toil." It wasn't meant to be a betting game on how old you think you are going to be when you croak being a determinate factor in collecting your SSA.

Put that together with increased automation, a growing population, and declining wages, and we now have a situation in which we may all have to go to a "Guaranteed Minimum Income", or become a nation of beggars eventually....they're experimenting with a GMI in Canada and Finland right now.

Much to be done. 70 and 80 year old men and women shouldn't have to live in slums and pick garbage for recyclables. I see that darn near every day in my city, and it sucks.

[Firestorm49]

11. Russians Protesting?

Good luck with that one. One might as well paint a target on their forehead. Get used to the concept if Republicans retain control after the mid-terms. The assault on the media and Justice Dept. has already begun. The oligarchs are beginning (or have been) getting their assigned numbers in the line, our common sense environmental protections are being eroded for the sake of profit, workers are dirt, fair voting has been put in doubt and on and on.

I would recommend that everybody read in it’s entirety the recent DU post; “The Skeleton Holding The Smoking Gun” from a few days ago. Accept what you wish, discard what you don’t believe, but become aware of the pretext that the President is a stick figure. There is a long thought out, well developed sinister game being foisted on all of us by the Republicans that will have a very heavy toll on this once great country if we allow it to happen.

The upcoming mid-term elections, in my opinion, will be the most important election of our lives. The Democratic Party needs to not only understand what we are up against, but deal with it head on, don’t back down, expose the true intent of the Republican Party, and reach into the souls of every day hard working Democrats and Republicans by whatever means necessary to stop Authoritarianism before it chokes the lifeblood out of our country.

Trump idolizes dictators. The Republican Party has their game plan in the works.

Democratic leaders....wake the fuck up!