Paul Ryan justifies cutting military pension growth
Chock Block sends us a link to the USAToday piece today written by Congresman Paul Ryan who tries to explain away his legislation to cut the growth of military pensions. Somehow, he thinks that retirement pay is going to suck up the whole Defense budget;
The federal government has no greater obligation than to keep the American people safe and we must take care of the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line. For that reason, Congress is understandably hesitant to make changes to military compensation.
But even hesitance has a cost. The need for reform is undeniable. Since 2001, excluding the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the cost per service member in the active-duty force has risen by 41% in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a combat vet himself, has said “that we can no longer put off military compensation reform. DOD’s leadership, Chairman Dempsey, the service chiefs, the service secretaries, and myself, we all know that we need to slow cost growth in military compensation. Otherwise, we’ll have to make disproportionate cuts to military readiness and modernization.”
Ya know, I used to go along with the reductions and alterations to our pay and compensation, thinking that it was my patriotic duty. But then I noticed that the military were the only ones making a sacrifice. Ryan would be more believable if there weren’t so many other cuts that could be made to the budget which have more of an impact on the debt, other than veteran compensation – you know, like cutting $4.2 billion dollars in child-credits to illegal aliens as opposed to the less than $2 billion/year in savings on the backs of veterans.
Ryan has decided that veterans can afford $100,000 loss of compensation during their retirement for their service. I don’t remember anyone asking me if I could fit that into my budget, but then federal government knows more about my financial situation than I know.
But it’s more about politics than fairness, anyway. Voting to eliminate cutting the checks to illegal alien families is more likely to impact the votes a candidate might get than cutting veterans’ compensation for their unquestioning service to the country.
Category: Congress sucks, Veterans Issues
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/republicans/chuck-hagel-net-worth/
Well you know we all almost always say that we never were in it for the money……
/ducks….runs……
There was money in it? When? Nobody told me that!
you guys got paid?!? I thought I was just volunteering to do this to serve my country.
Maybe if he were really a veteran, he would teach Congress they need to “lead from the front” and cut their own pensions and benefits before they cut ours. At least that’d be something, but then that would be “undignified” for them…
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” – Animal Farm
“I don’t wanna overthrow them, I wanna fire them!” – Gallagher
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/republicans/paul-ryan-net-worth/
You wouldn’t want republicans to be forced to cut tax loopholes for the rich. Republicans told democrats cut benefits for veterans or NO budget deal! We are not cutting benefits for are rich friends and contributors the veterans are worthless and are of no use to the corperations so cut veterans benefits instead! And you will love them all the more for it you know you will!
“…[A]nd we must take care of the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line.” That’s what is called foreplay. You know what comes next.
@6- It’s “our”, you flaming fucking idiot.
Learn English, then type. Until then, keep your thumbs up your ass so we don’t have to read your inane horseshit.
Fuck off.
Now I’m kinda glad he and Romnybot didn’t win the election.
Yeah Ryan’s a complete piece of shit. Remember when he got caught staging a photo op in a soup kitchen long after the place had closed for the day? This is no different, he’ll say he supports vets but he doesn’t. We’re just props for this scum bag’s next election.
Every day both sides of the aisle prove themselves to be the disingenuous turds we knew them to be from day one….reform is easy when you are screwing a group so small their votes don’t matter to either side anymore.
When veterans matter less than illegal aliens it’s pretty clear where the priorities of both parties are currently located. Put RIF in place now that the wars are winding down and f@ck the guys who served during the last 12 years often on multiple deployments because we don’t f@cking need them now…maybe the next time this congress of lying p3ckerheads needs some troops they can find them among the ranks of those illegal sh1tbags they are so worried about.
Yeah, right, WE need to sacrifice so those POOOR illegal aliens can keep sucking at the Government teat…
GO FUCK YOURSELF, PAUL RYAN!!
Ryan needs to go.
@6, every time you post, a teacher somewhere cringes and admits, again, that social promotions do the idiot getting one no good at all. In the meantime, do what ROS said in #8.
Did this affect ch 61(disabled retirees)?
I usually just chock up political crap to just that, but this pisses me off so much that I unloaded on Paul Ryan’s Facebook page. I doubt he actually reads the comments, but he should, there are thousands and thousands of pissed off people letting him know.
Dcm #15, yes it does affect disabled retirees under the age of 62 for the moment, but Congress says that they’re trying to fix that part. This is me not holding my breath.
“Otherwise, we’ll have to make disproportionate cuts to military readiness and modernization.”
Make that to read, “Otherwise, we’ll have to make disproportionate cuts to the illegal aliens and welfare recipients”. Paul Ryan has prove once again what side of the “betterment of our nation”, he comes down on. Air Cav has it right, this is the foreplay before the screwing. I am ashamed of the legislators and most of all the POS in the Oval Office and the turds in the DoD. Of course, General ranks really don’t need to worry about their pensions do they? Legislators have a pretty good pension and health care system as does the POTUS. But screw over the small voting block of veterans and retirees who have given and are now giving their life’s career to defend this country for the likes of Paul Ryan. This makes me sick to my stomach!
This. This is exactly why I’m an independent. Fuck both sides of the aisle.
Gee, in 1967, my E-1 pay was $97.00 per month, before taxes. Will I be surprised if that’s the level pay gets cut back to? No, I will be surprised if it doesn’t happen.
I seriously do not understand the point at all. But then, that is a continuation of the policies coming from DC for quite a long while.
It looks to me that they are doing themselves more harm than good with actions like this. Never mind. That is logical thinking right there, not political multi-speak.
@11 Dreamers want to join the military! They want to be just like you! Why I don’t know I sure am glad I am not like you.
@22 Do you just like being called an ass hole? If you had a pair you would join the military and let them try to make a man out of you. If, you have enough stuff to work with and that is doubtful. I doubt from your writings you could pass the entrance exams. Why do you not just go somewhere else and post where dumb asses like yourself will appreciate what you have to say. So to end as I began, you are an ass hole’s ass hole…ass hole!
Like socrates and voltaire I just ask question to get at the truth? Its called hegalian negativism and no its not named after chuck hegal.
@24 VWP, then take a big glass of your mentor’s hemlock and roll over and play dead!
Good thing you don’t have to worry about being like anyone here, douchenozzle. And, I doubt that the number of illegals who want to join the military is significant enough to matter. Yeah, they’re still illegals, not “Dreamers”.
VWP, Voltaire died at a ripe old age in his bed… you mental midget.
Personally, I would love to tie all of Congress’ pay to military pay and their pension to military pension. I bet that would stop them from cutting military pay and benefits. Heck, force them into TriCare, as well. That would fix a bunch of problems.
@26 Then the scariest sight to you is not a muslim terrorist ;but a pregnant mexican woman pushing a stroller with twins in it with a Hillary in 2016 and then our first latina president Loretta Sanchez NEXT! Sign on the stroller. The anwser to the bumper sticker What part of the word illegal don’t you understand!” Is the bumper sticker “What part of the word demographics don’t you understand! A hundred thousand minority kids turn 18(voting age) every month!” And this does not include dreamers or it would be an extra 20,0000 each month! Every day we grow stronger you grow weaker!
@27 but how did he die?
@28
“Every day we grow stronger you grow weaker!”
Yep…just like South Africa since 1994 and Rhodesia..er, I mean Zimbabwe..since 1980
If sliding into 3rd world mediocrity is your idea of “growing stronger”…you are right on
@30 Yeah you and the afrikanners can you all fit in idaho?
” But then I noticed that the military were the only ones making a sacrifice. ”
That’s the money quote, IMO. Seems to hold true, no matter who is in office.
You can put lipstick on a pig, Mr. Ryan, but it’s still a pig.