Military retirees face cuts

Chris

Gold Member
May 30, 2008
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As Washington looks to squeeze savings from once-sacrosanct entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, another big social welfare system is growing as rapidly, but with far less scrutiny: the health and pension benefits of military retirees.

Military pensions and health care for active and retired troops now cost the government about $100 billion a year, representing an expanding portion of both the Pentagon budget — about $700 billion a year, including war costs — and the national debt, which together finance the programs.

Making even incremental reductions to military benefits is typically a doomed political venture, given the public’s broad support for helping troops, the political potency of veterans groups and the fact that significant savings take years to appear.

But the intense push in Congress this year to reduce the debt and the possibility that the Pentagon might have to begin trimming core programs like weapons procurement, research, training and construction have suddenly made retiree benefits vulnerable, military officials and experts say.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/us/retiree-benefits-for-the-military-could-face-cuts.html
 
Why would it be shocking that the Obama administration would be targeting this rather than cutting waste?
 
Why would it be shocking that the Obama administration would be targeting this rather than cutting waste?

Obama administration?

Bush cut taxes for the rich and now there is no money for military pensions.

All those military folks who voted for Bush cut their own throats.
 
Yes, because cuts happening now during the Obama administration are Bush's fault.
 
Yes, because cuts happening now during the Obama administration are Bush's fault.

:lol::lol::lol:

Reagan and the two Bushes created 93% of the National Debt by lowering taxes for the rich. Go to reaganbushdebt.org for the numbers.

Now we can't afford to pay military retiree benefits for the people that voted Republican.

It's called karma.
 
Why would it be shocking that the Obama administration would be targeting this rather than cutting waste?

Obama administration?

Bush cut taxes for the rich and now there is no money for military pensions.

All those military folks who voted for Bush cut their own throats.

bush isn't president any more. obama kept the cuts.

shhhh

go sell some sunglasses
 
Why would it be shocking that the Obama administration would be targeting this rather than cutting waste?

Obama administration?

Bush cut taxes for the rich and now there is no money for military pensions.

All those military folks who voted for Bush cut their own throats.

bush isn't president any more. obama kept the cuts.

shhhh

go sell some sunglasses

Actually Congress kept the cuts.

But thanks for playing.
 
Obama administration?

Bush cut taxes for the rich and now there is no money for military pensions.

All those military folks who voted for Bush cut their own throats.

bush isn't president any more. obama kept the cuts.

shhhh

go sell some sunglasses

Actually Congress kept the cuts.

But thanks for playing.

i'm sorry, was obama's signature forged?

have another almond
 
Obama administration?

Bush cut taxes for the rich and now there is no money for military pensions.

All those military folks who voted for Bush cut their own throats.

bush isn't president any more. obama kept the cuts.

shhhh

go sell some sunglasses

Actually Congress kept the cuts.

But thanks for playing.


And when Obama signed the bill extending the Bush tax cuts, what did he say?


Mr. Obama said the bill would create jobs and boost the still-struggling U.S. economy. He called it a "substantial victory for middle class families" who would otherwise have seen a tax increase.

"In fact, not only will middle class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's larger than the one they get right now," he said.


The president also noted the bill included tax breaks for millions of college students and their families and extensions of the earned income tax credit and $1,000-per-child tax credit. It also includes extensions of tax incentives for businesses to invest and expand and lower taxes on capitol gains and dividends.

Obama Signs Bill To Extend Bush Tax Cuts - Political Hotsheet - CBS News
 
CaféAuLait;4169362 said:
bush isn't president any more. obama kept the cuts.

shhhh

go sell some sunglasses

Actually Congress kept the cuts.

But thanks for playing.


And when Obama signed the bill extending the Bush tax cuts, what did he say?


Mr. Obama said the bill would create jobs and boost the still-struggling U.S. economy. He called it a "substantial victory for middle class families" who would otherwise have seen a tax increase.

"In fact, not only will middle class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's larger than the one they get right now," he said.


The president also noted the bill included tax breaks for millions of college students and their families and extensions of the earned income tax credit and $1,000-per-child tax credit. It also includes extensions of tax incentives for businesses to invest and expand and lower taxes on capitol gains and dividends.

Obama Signs Bill To Extend Bush Tax Cuts - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

You're being a bit disingenuous. Obama was referring to the extension of UE benefits and tax breaks for the middle class. He was not referring to the Bush tax cuts. The only reason he agreed to extend the Bush tax cuts was to get the GOP to agree to extend UE benefits. And it was a temporary extension until 2012.
 
CaféAuLait;4169362 said:
Actually Congress kept the cuts.

But thanks for playing.


And when Obama signed the bill extending the Bush tax cuts, what did he say?


Mr. Obama said the bill would create jobs and boost the still-struggling U.S. economy. He called it a "substantial victory for middle class families" who would otherwise have seen a tax increase.

"In fact, not only will middle class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's larger than the one they get right now," he said.


The president also noted the bill included tax breaks for millions of college students and their families and extensions of the earned income tax credit and $1,000-per-child tax credit. It also includes extensions of tax incentives for businesses to invest and expand and lower taxes on capitol gains and dividends.

Obama Signs Bill To Extend Bush Tax Cuts - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

You're being a bit disingenuous. Obama was referring to the extension of UE benefits and tax breaks for the middle class. He was not referring to the Bush tax cuts. The only reason he agreed to extend the Bush tax cuts was to get the GOP to agree to extend UE benefits. And it was a temporary extension until 2012.

Sorry, how does:

Mr. Obama said the bill would create jobs and boost the still-struggling U.S. economy. He called it a "substantial victory for middle class families" who would otherwise have seen a tax increase.

"In fact, not only will middle class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's larger than the one they get right now," he said.

Translate into UE benefits?
 
Why would it be shocking that the Obama administration would be targeting this rather than cutting waste?

Let's see just WHO is targeting it.......

Deficit hawks, led by Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, have begun taking smaller steps, pushing for an array of cuts to military benefits, including ending subsidies for base commissaries and tightening disability compensation for diseases linked to Agent Orange.

And no matter who is targeting it do you agree or diagree with giving them the following benefits?

Under the current rules, service members who retire after 20 years are eligible for pensions that pay half their salaries for life, indexed for inflation, even if they leave at age 38. They are also eligible for lifetime health insurance through the military’s system, Tricare, at a small fraction of the cost of private insurance, prompting many working veterans to shun employer health plans in favor of military insurance.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/u...-military-could-face-cuts.html?pagewanted=all

.
 
Calling military retirement benefits "another big social welfare system " is bullshit. My benefits were prepaid with 26 years of honorable service and sacrifice. Same with my wife's dad. He has received his pension and health care twice as long as the time he served. These benefits are not entitlements but a fulfilled promise from a grateful nation. If the citizenry does not want the security provided by the service members that receive these benefits, they should vote to chage the system. They should in turn, stand by for heavy rolls. Otherwise, whiners and haters should STFU and figure out how to pay for ships, planes, weapons systems, personnel, health care, etc. etc. et al.
 
That's the bottom line - it's a promise when you enlist. That's why I stayed for 20+ years - and endured shitty pay, shitty living conditions, shitty duty stations, shitty hours, shitty deployments, shitty assignments. Hands the fuck off our benefits - you Goddamned politicians. Give yourselves a paycut. You're way the fuck overpaid as it is.
 
Calling military retirement benefits "another big social welfare system " is bullshit. My benefits were prepaid with 26 years of honorable service and sacrifice. Same with my wife's dad. He has received his pension and health care twice as long as the time he served. These benefits are not entitlements but a fulfilled promise from a grateful nation. If the citizenry does not want the security provided by the service members that receive these benefits, they should vote to chage the system. They should in turn, stand by for heavy rolls. Otherwise, whiners and haters should STFU and figure out how to pay for ships, planes, weapons systems, personnel, health care, etc. etc. et al.

Calling military retirement benefits "another big social welfare system " is bullshit.....

My benefits were prepaid........

These benefits are not entitlements but a fulfilled promise.......

......whiners and haters should STFU...........

The same can be said for Social Security and Medicare.

.
 
Calling military retirement benefits "another big social welfare system " is bullshit. My benefits were prepaid with 26 years of honorable service and sacrifice. Same with my wife's dad. He has received his pension and health care twice as long as the time he served. These benefits are not entitlements but a fulfilled promise from a grateful nation. If the citizenry does not want the security provided by the service members that receive these benefits, they should vote to chage the system. They should in turn, stand by for heavy rolls. Otherwise, whiners and haters should STFU and figure out how to pay for ships, planes, weapons systems, personnel, health care, etc. etc. et al.

Calling military retirement benefits "another big social welfare system " is bullshit.....

My benefits were prepaid........

These benefits are not entitlements but a fulfilled promise.......

......whiners and haters should STFU...........

The same can be said for Social Security and Medicare.

.

Totally apples and oranges. You don't "pay into" your military retirement all your life. You earn it through blood, sweat and tears.
 

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