Author Topic: Patriotism and Compensation  (Read 1138 times)

Offline Dago

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Patriotism and Compensation
« on: September 19, 2002, 05:58:41 AM »
No matter what you think of him, you'll have to agree he has a good message here....

 

 
I think the vast differences in compensation between the 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. 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.



Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the  tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.



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.

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?"
 



GOD Bless America, and those who protect her.

Rush Limbaugh - March 11, 2002
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Offline Innominate

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2002, 06:28:50 AM »
people are broken.

Offline Eagler

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2002, 07:33:14 AM »
sad

read somewhere the jokers selling rolexs out of briefcases in and around the WTC area are entitled to a $12,000 gov check :rolleyes:
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Offline capt. apathy

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2002, 08:26:39 AM »
WTF? has the world started spinning the other direction?

I've found something that I agree 100% with Rush on.

Offline Sandman

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2002, 09:17:12 AM »
Mandatory military service for all. That's the ticket.

No exemptions. No exclusions. No waivers.

That said, I can't say I met a lot of patriots while I was in the service.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2002, 09:19:41 AM by Sandman »
sand

Offline Ripsnort

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2002, 09:23:04 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
Mandatory military service for all. That's the ticket.

No exemptions. No exclusions. No waivers.

 


I agree 100%!

Offline popeye

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2002, 09:38:54 AM »
There would have to be an exemption for "anal cysts", the terrible disorder that prevented Limbaugh from serving in the military.
KONG

Where is Major Kong?!?

Offline miko2d

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2002, 09:43:05 AM »
Would military even want people that were drafted against their will? Most people who served in drafted militaries would tell you those suck.

 I believe I have the best solution to having good volunteer military, concientious citizens and right politicians:

 No service - no vote

 miko

Offline Eagler

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2002, 09:45:55 AM »
like Israel - 18 off to duty - no if ands or buts

can say it'd straighten out many more youths than it'd screw up this day and age ..
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Offline Ripsnort

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2002, 09:49:37 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by miko2d
Would military even want people that were drafted against their will? Most people who served in drafted militaries would tell you those suck.

 I believe I have the best solution to having good volunteer military, concientious citizens and right politicians:

 No service - no vote

 miko


Oh my, you'd have the Democrats squirming on that one...they depend on minorities, prison inmates and welfare trash for their votes! :D

Offline midnight Target

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2002, 09:52:47 AM »
Rush playing fast and loose with the facts again.

IIRC most of the money received by the families of 9-11 came from private sources.

Offline Curval

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2002, 09:53:31 AM »
The basic nature of man is bad.

Does this help explain it?
Some will fall in love with life and drink it from a fountain that is pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain

Offline Shiva

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2002, 09:53:49 AM »
Quote
There would have to be an exemption for "anal cysts", the terrible disorder that prevented Limbaugh from serving in the military.


How would being an impacted bellybutton pimple keep you from being in the military? I've met lots of them in my civil service career.

Oh, wait -- you meant having impacted bellybutton pimples. Never mind.

Offline gofaster

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2002, 09:57:38 AM »
As usual, Rush is manipulating the facts to feed his showmanship ratings war.

Yes, the servicemen are getting screwed in comparison to civilian pay.

But...

Rush uses the average compensation for WTC victims, but doesn't use the average compensation for servicemen killed in the line of duty.  If he's going to do comparisons, he should use the same calculations.

He also doesn't allow for the ratio of loss.  There were a lot of WTC workers bringing in a lot of big salaries.  If there was a powerhouse of business, it was the WTC.  There was money there, a lot of fat wallets.  Those wallets are gone and the survivors are trying to compensate for a lot of big-ticket lost income.

Ok, so who do you think is getting killed in action overseas?  I'll bet a lot of the servicemen are probably Lts. and below, with the equivalent rank of a civilian making about $35,000 a year in a white-collar entry-level professional job, down to $21,000 a year in manual labor-type work.  PFCs are the military version of a Vo-Tech graduate.  Incidentally, the starting salary for a college-educated school teacher is $21,000 here (which is a whole lecture in itself) so I'm being generous with the $35k salary.  I don't imagine there are too many captains, majors, colonels, and generals sitting on the front lines with a rifle in their hands.

So, yeah, there's a differential in compensation, but you have to realize the relative impact when compared to lost wages.

As for Congress giving itself a raise, I always wondered if we paid better for our politicians, would the quality of politicians increase.  Seems the really good guys know that they can make more money being giants of industry rather than politicians.  You get what you pay for.

Now, in my opinion, servicemen have the the worst PITA-to-compensation ratio of any occupation. (PITA = Pain In The bellybutton - sort of a "is the benefit worth the pain in the bellybutton to work for it?").  They're always moving, have very little control over where they're stationed, can't quit if they don't like it, and generally are put in harm's way whether they want to be there or not.  And for what?  Crap money.

Its not a job I'd want.

Offline popeye

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Patriotism and Compensation
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2002, 10:09:15 AM »
"There were a lot of WTC workers bringing in a lot of big salaries. If there was a powerhouse of business, it was the WTC. There was money there, a lot of fat wallets. Those wallets are gone and the survivors are trying to compensate for a lot of big-ticket lost income."

Well, I sure don't want to see the survivors starve, but I don't think I want my taxes to support them in the "manner to which they have become accustomed".  I'd set a cap on the compensation.
KONG

Where is Major Kong?!?