Comments on: The Pension Time Bomb http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/09/12/the-pension-time-bomb/ Mutual Funds, Investing, Retirement, Economy, Personal Finance Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:03:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Kurt Brouwer http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/09/12/the-pension-time-bomb/#comment-1437 Kurt Brouwer Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:05:21 +0000 http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/09/12/the-pension-time-bomb/#comment-1437 Good point Johnny. I like the measure in Orange County to put all pension changes before the voters. But, you're right. If the politicians are in cahoots with the employees and the unions, the voters don't have much chance. This is another example of that old saying, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. If voters get complacent, the special interests will take advantage of them. Good point Johnny. I like the measure in Orange County to put all pension changes before the voters. But, you’re right. If the politicians are in cahoots with the employees and the unions, the voters don’t have much chance. This is another example of that old saying, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. If voters get complacent, the special interests will take advantage of them.

]]> By: JohnnyVegas http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/09/12/the-pension-time-bomb/#comment-1435 JohnnyVegas Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:14:30 +0000 http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/2008/09/12/the-pension-time-bomb/#comment-1435 "And, the point I made earlier bears repeating. Both sides — taxpayers and employees — should be on guard to make sure that promised benefits are reasonable and sustainable." === ======= The problem with your point is that the taxpayers, the public, are never in on, made aware of or gave the OK to these gold plated, Cadillac pensions and benefits, becuase if they were the scam penions/benefits would have never been approved. These scams are done in private behind closed doors, ususally where all you need is the approval of 3 or 4 county supervisors or city council members voting on the scam deals. Santa Ana is engaged in this very same thing scam-and even as they catch major heat from taxpayers who oppose these backroom deals (tipped off by a city councilman aware of the backroom scam) they continue-why?? Because the public employee unions are trading their votes and campaign dollars for the increased benefits-a quid pro quo bribe/fraud. That's the reason these scams get approved, NOT because the taxpayers are unaware or don't care. “And, the point I made earlier bears repeating. Both sides — taxpayers and employees — should be on guard to make sure that promised benefits are reasonable and sustainable.”
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The problem with your point is that the taxpayers, the public, are never in on, made aware of or gave the OK to these gold plated, Cadillac pensions and benefits, becuase if they were the scam penions/benefits would have never been approved.

These scams are done in private behind closed doors, ususally where all you need is the approval of 3 or 4 county supervisors or city council members voting on the scam deals. Santa Ana is engaged in this very same thing scam-and even as they catch major heat from taxpayers who oppose these backroom deals (tipped off by a city councilman aware of the backroom scam) they continue-why??

Because the public employee unions are trading their votes and campaign dollars for the increased benefits-a quid pro quo bribe/fraud.

That’s the reason these scams get approved, NOT because the taxpayers are unaware or don’t care.

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