We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
North Providence retiree Jamie Reilly left her job as a secretary at age 50, thinking her 30 years of state employment would mean good benefits during her later years. But now she said she may be forced to re-enter the workforce at age 55 because the state has put off pension increases.
"I counted on that money," Reilly said of the increases, which she estimates would have started at $700 to $1,000 a year. "I retired knowing I was going to get a certain amount of money. You work all your life and you plan, and they take it away from you."
The Lunch Lady violated the Prime Directive: Thou Shalt All Eat The Same Swill (except for us, you dirty hoi polloi).
RI pensions: As Prof. Reynolds keeps saying, That which can't go on forever, can't go on forever.
Employment: I keep reading stories and comments that the recession ended in '09. Why am I not seeing evidence of it? I'm going with my lying eyes, once more, with feeling.
Geraghty: Defense of his record--"Blame BUSH!!!111!!".
Defining the opposition--They keep trying, but as with employment, I'm going with my lying eyes against their lying MSM.
Offering a compelling vision for the second term--He does want to compel us.
So people who retired at 50 thinking they would have a nice comfortable living doing nothing if they desired for the rest of their lives are getting a rude awakening. The idea of vast numbers of desk workers or light manual laborers leaving the workforce at 50 and getting paid for it is absurd. Who cares if you put in 30 years, you're still 50 and assumed very able to produce.
"Who cares if you put in 30 years, you're still 50 and assumed very able to produce."
Say Amen everyone!
The last person to join a Ponzi scheme always thinks they were conned, and they were. But they should have known better.
Sorry, Jim. And all the other RI state workers that thought they were set for the rest of their life, but it ain't so.
And I hate to tell you but the rest of us don't feel much pity for you. You still will be getting back many times more than you put in, you are not going to starve or lose your home (unless you made other bad decisions based on unrealistic expectations due to your support of an legal racket).
You are going to have to live like citizens, not princes
#4
John the River
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on
2012-10-08 17:46
(Reply)
I've always thought that people who respond to their own posts are either dim or full of themselves... yeah probably.
As I posted I started thinking about a PBS (No money for you! Sucker!) presentation of Moll Flanders. At the end of the show the end credits had a short statement about Moll (thief, whore, five-time wife), after immigrating to America she started all over again, at age 62, and prospered.
Of course that was in Virginia, a red state. Not RI.
#4.1
John the River
(Link)
on
2012-10-08 17:59
(Reply)
The retirement issue is not as simple as presented, Indeed many people who put in 30 years and contribute to their retirement for 30 years can indeed have enough money in their investments to retire early. Why would you or should you care??? The problem comes in when state legislators offer special favors to unions for votes and give retirements to favored groups that exceed their contributions to the system. These generous favors are what is bankrupting the system not the hard working employees who contribute every month for 30 or more years and then retire based solely on what their investment is worth. It is unfair to tar all workers and retirees with this brush.
It's Cristoforo Colombo Day here in the USA