Thank you, Tom, for your words and thank you for bringing us Larry O'Donnell and Kamala Harris. As a 29 year Union member who sat on the Board of Directors of two different Unions I appreciate everything Unions do. Kamala was correct, Unions brought to all American workers 5 day work weeks, 8 hour days, paid vacations, and paid sick leav…
Thank you, Tom, for your words and thank you for bringing us Larry O'Donnell and Kamala Harris. As a 29 year Union member who sat on the Board of Directors of two different Unions I appreciate everything Unions do. Kamala was correct, Unions brought to all American workers 5 day work weeks, 8 hour days, paid vacations, and paid sick leave.
Since Reagan started breaking unions in 1981 the workplace has deteriorated into hell. People working two to four jobs, 12 hour days, gig jobs with no benefits, while simultaneously dropping further and further toward poverty, No paid time off, no sick leave - work til you drop, then please die quickly so we don't have to support you.
Social Security IS NOT A BENEFIT- you earned it, you paid into it every damned working day of your life. The same with most pensions. Payments were deducted from my salary for my teachers' pension and my public employees pension, I paid into Social Security for more than 80 quarters. I'm entitled because I paid into them.
And guess who he REAL welfare queens (gut mostly kings) are? Not that poor family living down the street, nor someone's retarded child. It's the wealthiest corporations - especially fossil fuels and corporate farms [not family owned farms].
People earning more than $168,000 don't pay a dime for Social Security - that should be raised to at least $400,000.
I certainly agree, Maggie. Something else we're fighting for: because I am a retired teacher and a retired county worker and also worked 20 years under Social Security, I am penalized for my two State Government pensions and instead of getting the $2000+ I would get had I only worked that twenty years I get less than $1500. I paid into both my State Pensions and worked 29 years there combined. I was told by a Social Security manager that was my punishment for working!
That literally is BS, Fay. Seriously - punishment for working? I believe it.
I felt so lucky that the construction co. I worked for for 29 years had a profit sharing program - I'm ashamed to say I never paid into it - which would have been the smart thing. But even so I had a good amount when the company went out of business. Of course in todays world that really isnt much, I guess (if you believe the writeups) I worked for another 9 or 10 years after that.
So I'm on SS & my profit sharing money. Just hoping my dog, cat & bird and I can keep on going.
Good luck to you, Maggie. I worked until 6 weeks before my 88th birthday, Then I retired, sold my house and gave each of my four grandchildren their inheritances. I admit it isn't easy living on about one-third of what I was making when employed. I moved into what was supposed to be an Independent Senior Living apartment where I can afford the rent and still feed myself. Calliope, the orange and white lady cat and I are not expensive but we have little to spare, I hope that manager was just being sarcastic. The California division of the Teachers union has been trying for years to get legislation passed to revoke the law that permitted these penalties (officially called the Government Pension Offset - GPO - and Windfall Exemption Prevention WEP) I'm hoping that the Harris/Walz will bring us the needed votes in Congress to get both programs revoked, Thanks for your concern Maggie.
Thanks Maggie. I too, hope reversing GPO and WEP is successful, but I doubt it will help me. I'm already 91 rapidly approaching 92 and no one in m,y extended family has made it more than a month or two beyond 95 so Callie and I will not be around to see it. But there are numerous younger teachers and government retirees who could use the help, and deserve it.
I have to wonder - considering too many teachers that dont really make the big bucks - is the government afraid they will actually enjoy their retirement? And then you look at the difficulty in making the "1%" pay THEIR taxes - it sure does make clear who the people are they are looking out for AND the ones they are not! By government, I mean Congress & Senate.
Thank you, Tom, for your words and thank you for bringing us Larry O'Donnell and Kamala Harris. As a 29 year Union member who sat on the Board of Directors of two different Unions I appreciate everything Unions do. Kamala was correct, Unions brought to all American workers 5 day work weeks, 8 hour days, paid vacations, and paid sick leave.
Since Reagan started breaking unions in 1981 the workplace has deteriorated into hell. People working two to four jobs, 12 hour days, gig jobs with no benefits, while simultaneously dropping further and further toward poverty, No paid time off, no sick leave - work til you drop, then please die quickly so we don't have to support you.
Social Security IS NOT A BENEFIT- you earned it, you paid into it every damned working day of your life. The same with most pensions. Payments were deducted from my salary for my teachers' pension and my public employees pension, I paid into Social Security for more than 80 quarters. I'm entitled because I paid into them.
And guess who he REAL welfare queens (gut mostly kings) are? Not that poor family living down the street, nor someone's retarded child. It's the wealthiest corporations - especially fossil fuels and corporate farms [not family owned farms].
People earning more than $168,000 don't pay a dime for Social Security - that should be raised to at least $400,000.
SS is also NOT and "entitlement" - at least not the way repubs intend it.
On the other hand, since we all paid into it with our own money - we ARE entitled!!!
And boy do they need to raise the "high" limit.
I certainly agree, Maggie. Something else we're fighting for: because I am a retired teacher and a retired county worker and also worked 20 years under Social Security, I am penalized for my two State Government pensions and instead of getting the $2000+ I would get had I only worked that twenty years I get less than $1500. I paid into both my State Pensions and worked 29 years there combined. I was told by a Social Security manager that was my punishment for working!
That literally is BS, Fay. Seriously - punishment for working? I believe it.
I felt so lucky that the construction co. I worked for for 29 years had a profit sharing program - I'm ashamed to say I never paid into it - which would have been the smart thing. But even so I had a good amount when the company went out of business. Of course in todays world that really isnt much, I guess (if you believe the writeups) I worked for another 9 or 10 years after that.
So I'm on SS & my profit sharing money. Just hoping my dog, cat & bird and I can keep on going.
Good luck to you, Maggie. I worked until 6 weeks before my 88th birthday, Then I retired, sold my house and gave each of my four grandchildren their inheritances. I admit it isn't easy living on about one-third of what I was making when employed. I moved into what was supposed to be an Independent Senior Living apartment where I can afford the rent and still feed myself. Calliope, the orange and white lady cat and I are not expensive but we have little to spare, I hope that manager was just being sarcastic. The California division of the Teachers union has been trying for years to get legislation passed to revoke the law that permitted these penalties (officially called the Government Pension Offset - GPO - and Windfall Exemption Prevention WEP) I'm hoping that the Harris/Walz will bring us the needed votes in Congress to get both programs revoked, Thanks for your concern Maggie.
Wow - you outdid me by far.
I hope its successful - getting the programs revoked. It sure would make a difference to you AND Calliope!
Thanks Maggie. I too, hope reversing GPO and WEP is successful, but I doubt it will help me. I'm already 91 rapidly approaching 92 and no one in m,y extended family has made it more than a month or two beyond 95 so Callie and I will not be around to see it. But there are numerous younger teachers and government retirees who could use the help, and deserve it.
You never know, Fay. My mom lived to almost 103. Not something I aspire to.
Me neither! 95 would be my limit!
I have to wonder - considering too many teachers that dont really make the big bucks - is the government afraid they will actually enjoy their retirement? And then you look at the difficulty in making the "1%" pay THEIR taxes - it sure does make clear who the people are they are looking out for AND the ones they are not! By government, I mean Congress & Senate.
I found a link to the GPO - my gosh Fay - thats a huge reduction! Putting the link below in case anyone else here is interested.
efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf
OK just found WEP - another little hummer!
https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf
Windfall???