I've been out of circulation the last few days, so I don't know if someone else has received this. But if not, I thought dKos would be a great place to spread it faster.
I got an email from a friend of mine, a recently retired union shop steward. It was clear that it's been forwarded again and again, with lists of 20, 30, 40 names. Not an email blast, but something that folks took the time to identify all the friends they wanted to read it. I took the liberty of editing it slightly, but I think the point will be clear.
Text below the break.
It doesn't matter if you are Republican or Democrat - Keep this going!!!
2008 Election issue: Get a bill started to place all politicians on Social Security!
(This is worth reading. It is short and to the point.)
Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. Our senators and representatives do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it.
You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan.
In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan. For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. That's $13,500 a month. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. Younger dignitaries, who retire at an early age, will receive quite a lot over the rest of their lives. And spouses get excellent - though lesser - incomes for the rest of their lives, too.
Their cost for this excellent plan is... $0. Nada. Zilch.
This little perk 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 Funds - "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 of $1,000 per month after retirement.
Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made:
Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Congress - put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Then sit back ... and see how fast they would fix it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will result.
How many people can you send this to? Better yet, how many people will you send this to?!?