How about that Rush Limbaugh?

[SleeperZ]

Let's just say I'm not a Rush fan, and leave it at that. I was amazed to get this in my email. This quote is attributed to Rush:

 

Love him or loath him, he nailed this one right on the head.............

 

By Rush Limbaugh:

 

I think the vast differences in compensation between

victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die

serving the country in Uniform are profound. No one

is really talking about it either, because you just

don't criticize anything having to do with September

11. Well, I just can't let the numbers pass by

because it says something really disturbing about the

entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a

family member in the September 11 attack, you're going

to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a

minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7

million.

 

If you are a surviving family member of an American

soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a

$6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are

the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you

remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for

each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those

payments come to a screeching halt.

 

Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting

 

an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are

complaining that it's not enough. Their deaths were

tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong

place at the wrong time. Soldiers put themselves in

harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families

know the dangers.

 

We also learned over the weekend that some of the

victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an

organization asking for the same deal that the

September 11 families are getting. In addition to

that, some of the families of those bombed in the

embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

 

You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this

is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement

politics in this country. It's just really sad.

Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they

usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the

green machine is in combat in the Middle East while

 

their families have to survive on food stamps and live

in low-rent housing. Make sense?

 

However, our own U.S. Congress just voted themselves a

raise, and many of you don't know that they only have

to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that

is more than $15,000 per month, and most are now equal

to being millionaires plus. They also do not receive

Social Security on retirement because they didn't have

to pay into the system.

 

If some of the military people stay in for 20 years

and get out as an E-7, you may receive a pension of

$1,000 per month, and the very people who placed you

in harm's way receive a pension of $15,000 per month.

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a

weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out

benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters

who are now fighting.

 

"When do we finally do something about this?" If this

 

doesn't seem fair to you, it is time to forward this

to as many people as you can.If your interested there

is more.......................

 

This must be a campaign issue in 2004. 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. Many years ago they voted

in their own benefit plan. In more recent years, no

congressperson has felt the need to change it. 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 - 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. These

little perks 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

Fund--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 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. WE, each one of us... can make a difference..

 

 

How many people can YOU send this to?

 

From the mouthes of babes, as they say?

[denny411]

I`m NOT really sure what parts you disagree with? It seems absurd to me that a cashier at Wal Mart, could make more than some of our enlisted Men/Women that are risking their lives at this very moment.

 

As far as cash payouts to the 9-11victims families... I think there SHOULD be a cap on death benefits to survivors.

If someone like Bill Gaites from Microsoft had been killed in the attacks, WE(the taxpayers) would have payed his wife BILLIONS of dollars based on his lifetime projected earnings.

 

Finally...Congress should recieve there raises and pensions based on evaluations and time in service. Just like the rest of us, and for every session that they are not present. Their pay should be docked.

I don`t you about you, but If I don`t work. I don`t get paid

 

I think MLK said it best, and it fits for all of my comments. "All people should be judged on the content of their character..."

 

 

BTW, This thread should be deleted. This topic could be a very sore spot with many of us here, and could get out of hand quickly.

[Guest Nic-Rebel450CA]

BTW, This thread should be deleted. This topic could be a very sore spot with many of us here, and could get out of hand quickly.

 

I second the notion. I am all for conversation, but I never mix politics with friends and fun.

[JKDGabe]

Guys, it's just not true. Some of it is... but the part about congressmen isn't. I searched very briefly and found this site:

 

http://www.house.gov/stupak/conbenmyth_.htm

 

and had a friend alert me to another site but I've forgotten what it was.

 

Yes, there should be a cap on what people can receive! But please don't take every email on the internet for Gospel! Oh wait, I found evidence to the contrary on the internet and you're reading what I'm writing on the internet... ok, I'm confused.

[Guest BigWhyteDude]

i hate politicians. What is the old saying..."absolute power corupts absolutely" I see voteing as choosing to elect the lesser of two evils. Sometimes there isnt much difference. if it didnt cost so damned much to become president then........................ i would be president

[johnc]

This e-mail has a kernel of truth, in the Rush has made that point on a number of his radio shows, but a lot has been added to the e-mail message from folks other then Rush. Here's the original:

 

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/military.htm

 

This is also still a sensitive topic especially for those who lost family and friends on 9/11. I'm going to lock it at this point unless someone can make a good case for keeping it going.