WTF?! Obama will endorse plan that would cut feds' benefits

[alltherage]

My mother, who is a federal employee, is currently freaking out about this. They're basically going to be dipping into pensions now, which is never pretty! The government has made enough cuts on them as it. An agency like Social Security, which is where my mother works, does more work than they should to begin with. Apparently, they, the federal workers, were warned about this proposal for years, but it was never implemented -- until now! Not even under George Bush did the Right do this, which is beyond shocking. Seriously, you're going to keep taxes at the same rate for the rich, bailout banks and corporations, continue wars, and to pay for all of this you're going to punish government workers, not to mention what they're doing to the rest of the working/middle class? It's unconscionable not to mention that it's being done by a Democratic President! The news about this measure being announced tonight, is making the rounds with the federal workers via the union, so Obama is really pissing off a big part of his base right there. I don't know what the Right hates Obama for, he's given them everything they could ever dream of! The public is going to reject Obama and vote for one of their guys, and then really get screwed. Republicans sure are masters at playing this game.

Here's the article I'm referring to:

http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110412/AGENCY04/104120304/1001

I'm wondering if anyone else is going to be affect by this on here.

[indimuse]

1. Obama the deceiver!

Now he wants campaign $$$! lol...

[CountAllVotes]

2. Condolences for your mother

My late mother was also a retired Federal employee. She was downgraded to a mail room clerk before she retired at the age of 65. She was a GS-3 in the end after 20 years of busting her tail for them. Her big fat pension was less than $800.00 a month and she got less than $200.00 a month from Social Security.

Her health benefits were not that great. She had to pay for many of her own medications and when she became ill with cancer, they did not pay for any of the care she needed. In fact, it was paid for by selling her place of residence.

I don't know why Obama is going after Federal workers as many of them (I should say most of them) are like my late mother was - underpaid and overworked.

This big fantasy picture that has been painted of the Fat Cat Federal retiree is a joke, especially for women!

You have my condolences and no, your mother is not alone! :grr:

:dem:

[vaberella]

4. Did you even read the article the OP posted?

Obama is said to endorse several different articles. There is no proof on what he is going to do.

[CountAllVotes]

5. yes I read it

It is a statement of what they might do or might like to do. I wouldn't put anything past them having worked for the Fed myself. That is the reason I quit actually. They were beginning to hack away at the benefits in 1985 when I quit after doing that work for 10 long long years myself. :(

On edit: I began working for them at a pay rate of $2.88 an hr. After 10 long years (the best years of my life in fact), I was earning about $9.50 an hr. That was a real phatty of a job there, oh yeah.

[vaberella]

7. Obama is not the same as the last 4 presidents since you quit.

In any event...there is no proof even put in the article. But the OP and you put in a post as though it's fact he's going to cut federal employees. Why? One thing is for certain he likes Federal employees.

[CountAllVotes]

9. The Federal worker was royally screwed in 1985

That was with the re-election of Ronnie Baby. He stole the pension system from the workers. Most of them at that time did not pay into Social Security, they paid into the Federal Pension System (FERP).

It used to be that when you quit you could collect the money back that you had paid in (in my case it was about $6,000.00 over a 10 year period).

Had I not quit that job and collected the money when I did, I'd still be waiting on it as you cannot collect it now until you are 65 years old.

They've been screwing with the Federal workers for years now, yes you are right. With all of this false press going around on how lazy and overpaid they are, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if they try to destroy the system that is in place now as two-bit as it is! :grr:

[dkf]

10. How is that possible?

My uncle retired from the FAA and he brings home more than I do. He is double covered by a health insurance policy and Medicare and pays practically nothing for several hospital stays. I've even been informed that federal workers get free hospice care which is huge because end of life expenses count for over half of your lifetime medical expenses.

[CountAllVotes]

20. your uncle was a retired engineer

My mother was a retired mail room clerk. :dunce:

The benefits for those with the better jobs are commensurate with the the better job it seems to me. My mother couldn't afford the fancy insurance. She had an HMO at the end of her life. Hospice was part of the deal at the end, yes, but the care home was paid for out of her checking account. Trust me on this one - I wrote the checks being I had power of attorney at that very sad time in my life. :(

Same old story - low paid working woman not so hot looking at 60+ with lots of medical problems. I honestly believe they were doing all they could to get rid of her before she had put enough time in to retire. :(

Her last job was working for the DoD (she'd had various secretarial jobs with the government throughout her illustrious career with them; ended up a demoted mail room clerk in the end which is the bottom of the barrel both pay wise and career wise). It sure sucked, I know that much and she was really glad when she was finally able to retire, walker, cane, wheelchair and all. :(

[vaberella]

3. False. Did you even read the article? Calm the F*ck down and read it!

This is the same shit like the death panels for old ladies. No one knows what Obama will support or endorse---if he will even support or endorse a plan different from his own which he might present. Why can't you see that? One article says he will endorse budget commission, another says he will endorse the Bowles plan, he might endorse the Progressive caucus or his own. Why oh why do people freak when there is nothing to freak over!

[w4rma]

6. Because he picked the idiots on that panel. If he wants us to think otherwise he should be straight

with us and tell us.

[vaberella]

8. Please.

So far Obama has gone by his own standing when it comes to plans. I have yet to see him promote or endorse anything that is against the welfare of the American people. So you need to calm down. Then it will come out that Obama supports or has a plan that is beneficial for the people and then maybe people will shut up. People were like the last budget bill would hurt us. there were cuts across the board but the budget plan came to be very helpful for us little people than the GOP.

[w4rma]

11. The last budget *will* hurt us. (nt)

[Bluenorthwest]

13. He opposes equal rights for my community and that is against

our welfare. I understand that the OFA prayer circle does not see gay people as actual people, but we do, dear. He promotes the idea that some people are 'sanctified by God' and that others are not, and that is how we decide who gets what rights. That is viciously against the good of my family and my people. So do you clam down in the face of bigotry toward your loved ones?
Telling people fighting to have what you were born having to shut up and calm down is the one thing I am sick and tired of and will not endure any longer. We will never shut up as long as the slanders are spoken. So get used to it. Silence = Death.

[vaberella]

23. Stop doing this. No he doesn't and you know that very well.

I'm really tired of this.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jakes Progress]

15. So how will you react if Obama does endorse the pain suggested by the "committee"?

We hear a lot of "Wait,Wait" But those who cry wait seem to be waiting to see what the president does so they can endorse it, regardless of what it is.

So how about a stand beforehand. If the president adopt the painful and pointless (except for political ideology) cuts and restrictions suggested by his committee, what will be your reaction? For instance, if Medicare and Medicaid cuts are part of his plan, will you support that?

[leftynyc]

17. If you wish to get angry

and have a hissy fit over something that hasn't happened yet, hasn't been announced yet, nobody here is going to stop you. Knock yourself out.

[Jakes Progress]

21. If you wish to sit on your butt,

keep your hands under you, and let anything happen without comment, nobody here is going to stop you. Actually you have a whole little contingent of those waiting to have the president tell them what to think. Waiting seems to be their strongest point. That and compliant acceptance. Knock your own self out.

[leftynyc]

22. Yawn

So now that none of the above hair-on-fire rhetoric has anything to do with reality, now what are you going to complain about? You can admit you were wrong anytime now.

[Jakes Progress]

24. You missed it. But then that happens when you fall asleep.

[lonestarnot]

14. What bullshit! How does one get away with just posting bullshit?

[jefferson_dem]

16. Hey there!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[madmom]

18. Hey I heard from the guy on the corner that

the end of the world is tomorrow....he has a printed sign and everything, that proves it's real!

OK every body go freak out now.:eyes:

[JoePhilly]

19. Affected, yes ....effected, no.