Would You Want Your Elected Official to Take This Pledge?
Over the weekend I started a new Facebook group that addresses some of the "perks" that our elected officials give themselves.
My thought is that if our elected officials treated themselves more like an average American, they would have a better understanding of what is needed, and maybe even work with each other.
Following is a description of what this group AMERICANS TO END ELECTED OFFICIALS' PERKS is about:
AMERICANS TO END ELECTED OFFICIALS' PERKS believe:
1) Elected representatives at every level of government must be representative of all Americans and remain equal to all Americans and must not be considered to be above average Americans in rank or privilege
2) Elected representatives at every level of government must not enjoy special benefits or privileges from their public service that is a betterment of what average Americans benefit from.
3) Most specifically all elected representatives at every level of government must not enjoy better health care coverage than average Americans, nor retirement benefits than average Americans.
To achieve the objective that no elected official at any level of government enjoys better health care coverage or retirement benefits than average Americans have access to, AMERICANS TO END ELECTED OFFICIALS' PERKS request that all candidates for elective office, including incumbents running to remain in their seat, pledge the following:
The pledge
Elected officials at the federal level
1) All Candidates for elective office at the federal level pledge that upon being elected to office, they will immediately and persistently propose and support legislation that:
A) All members of Congress, and elected officials in the Executive and Judicial Branches of the federal government will no longer have access to any health coverage other than Medicare.
B) Health care coverage under Medicare shall include family members as are normally defined under private health care plans, and the all medical services under their Medicare coverage will be at the same costs, co-pays and deductibles as paid by all seniors under Medicare coverage.
C) Health care coverage under Medicare shall commence upon the elected official taking office, and will end at the earliest of their being voted out of office, leaving office, or retirement. Upon the termination of coverage, elected officials may continue their Medicare coverage under the normal rules and terms of COBRA, at their own cost.
D) All elected officials noted above shall pay into Social Security at the same rates as those in the private sector. They shall enjoy no other retirement coverage, other than any that they pay for on their own, such as 401K plans that are available to those in the private sector.
Elected officials at the state and local level
2)All candidates for elective office at the state level pledge that upon being elected to office, they will immediately and persistently propose and support legislation that:
A) All members of legislative branch, and elected officials in the executive and judicial branches of the federal government will no longer have access to any health coverage other than the Medicaid plan that their state offers to those who qualify.
B) Health care coverage under Medicaid shall include family members as are normally defined under private health care plans, and the all medical services under their Medicaid coverage will be at the same costs, co-pays and deductibles as paid by all other participants under their state’s Medicaid coverage.
C) Health care coverage under Medicare shall commence upon the elected official taking office, and will end at the earliest of their being voted out of office, leaving office, or retirement. Upon the termination of coverage, elected officials may continue their Medicaid coverage under the normal rules and terms of COBRA, at their own cost.
D) All elected officials noted above shall pay into Social Security at the same rates as those in the private sector. They shall enjoy no other retirement coverage, other than any that they pay for on their own, such as 401K plans that are available to those in the private sector.
E) The elected state officials shall pass legislation that provides that elected officials in all other levels of government within their state, i.e. county, city, school board, municipalities, etc., shall have the same or lesser health and retirement provisions as those stated above.
Voter participation
Voters who support the ideal that elected officials should not enjoy benefits or privileges greater than those available to average Americans in the private sector are encouraged to contact their elected officials and all candidates for elected office and demand that they publicly support the pledge as stated above, and upon election will immediately and persistently propose and support the legislation as outlined.
Link to the group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/374818409259537/
CowDung
4:43 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012
It seems a bit stupid to insist that members of Congress go on Medicare/Medicaid to get a better idea of what living like the 'average American' is like. Is the 'average American' on Medicare/Medicaid?
Our elected officials get the same health coverage as other government employees--what's wrong with that?
Congresspeople do pay into Social Security, why shouldn't they be eligible to receive SS benefits like everyone else that pays into the system?
CowDung
4:46 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012
It seems to me that the 'perks' you are complaining about are really no different than the 'perks' offered to other government employees...
Maybe you can turn this article into one of those spam e-mails that Snopes will eventually find and debunk...
David Tatarowicz
12:15 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
@CD Although on the surface it may seem like they don't get special health care cover there are some choice exceptions to that:
" All plans cover hospital, surgical and physician services, and mental health services, prescription drugs and “catastrophic” coverage against very large medical expenses. There are no waiting periods for coverage when new employees are hired, and there are no exclusions for preexisting conditions"
Now with ObamaCare the pre-existing conditions applies for everyone, but when Romney and Ryan abolish ObamaCare. , that will be special, also most employees have to wait before they are qualified to get any coverage, usually 30 to 90 days, also most plans do not coverage mental health, and very little if anything on prescriptions.
In addition Congress gets: (continued next comment)
"
David Tatarowicz
12:18 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Continued Congress Health Care
"In addition, members of Congress also qualify for some medical benefits that ordinary federal workers do not. They (but not their families) are eligible to receive limited medical services from the Office of the Attending Physician of the U.S. Capitol, after payment of an annual fee ($491 in 2007). But services don’t include surgery, dental care or eyeglasses, and any prescriptions must be filled at the member’s expense.
House and Senate members (but not their families) also are eligible to receive care at military hospitals. For outpatient care, there is no charge at the Washington, D.C., area hospitals (Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center). Inpatient care is billed at rates set by the Department of Defense."
Source: FactCheck.Org
David Tatarowicz
12:21 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
@CD I do agree they should receive SS coverage --- my mistake if you misunderstood that --- but I do not think they should also have a separate defined benefit retirement plan that we also pay for --- almost all of those have been eliminated by private business, and they are the ones that are first to go when a company goes bankrupt to get out of its legacy costs.
CowDung
12:26 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
My point was that they get the same benefits as other government employees. They aren't getting 'special perks' for being members of Congress.
CowDung
12:39 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
See my link below for an explanation of their retirement benefit. Again, similar to what other government employees get.
splinter
8:34 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012
Yes, (1) tax reform (where the result code fits on a single page in 12 pt); (2) entitlement reform (avg lifespans have increased so we just need to adjust time); (3) health care reform (what we got is health insurance reform - we need reforms directly focused on costs including malpractice reform, consumer incentives, ban co-shifting (like Maryland) and interstate competition, etc.); (4) overall gov't reform (Congress, Civil Service, etc.); and (5) high rate of return investments in infrastructure (grid, bridges, etc.).
Is that too much to ask?
wiscoleeds
10:47 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012
How about all elected officials must send their children to the local public school district (pay attention Mayor Barrett). And all public employees must not have better benefit plans than the average tax payer in their county.
John Taxthepoor
7:28 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Right On! And make all those getting free crap work, somehow, to earn it. Like using all those shovels Obama had bought to give out.
AWD
8:18 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I never liked the 'walk a mile in someone else's shoes' mindset; I hear that line a lot from Progressives. I don't have time nor do I care about the circumstances in other people’s lives, why would I want to experience their personal burdens?
Scott Berg
10:39 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
How about "If government was run like private industry, we'd be *SO* much better off and taxes would go WAAAAY down!"
Let's see, a mayor is effectively the CEO. Milwaukee's proposed 2013 budget is about $1.5 billion if you include utilities, pensions, etc. Mayor Barret is salaried at about $147,000. What would the CEO of a private company of that size be making? Make sure you add in stock options and bonus, including what he'd get even if the place was tanking.
My point is that senior government officials make a lot less than their private industry counterparts. If someone is talented enough to handle all that responsibility, why would they pass it by for a fraction of the salary?
Greg
12:11 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A CEO with the City of Milwaukee profit margin would be out the door faster than a prune through a goose.
c
5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wow I've seen some ignorant rants posted by people who don't know what the F they are talking about, by Scott, yours takes the proverbial cake.
Dave Koven
10:43 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
AWD..."Let them eat cake". The line to the guillotine forms here, right behind you.
Dave Koven
10:52 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Cow Dung...Try, as a minor govt. filing clerk, walking into the Senate barbershop and asking for a free trim like the other government workers get in the Senate. Failing that, try for a free meal in the Senate cafeteria. I'm sure they won't mind if you squeeze in next to them on the Lear jet they travel around the country in. Finally, try working at your govt. job for only one term (two years in the House) and getting a lifetime pension of your full year's salary and very comprehensive health insurance, also for life. When the laughter dies down, let me know how you did.
CowDung
11:23 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Dave:
Congresspeople do not get free meals in the cafeteria--they pay the full price for their meals. The senate cafeteria is not government run and tries to turn a profit.
As far as retirement benefits:
"Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.
As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.
Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.
The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary."
So a one term congressman doesn't get to collect full salary and comprehensive life insurance for life as you claim.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm
CowDung
11:29 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
They also don't get to fly around for free on Learjets. If they need to fly, they usually fly on military jets (if space is available). The speaker of the house does get to fly on a private jet--that was a change after 9/11 to increase security as the speaker is after the VP in presidential succession.
Their 'perks' end up being free haircuts. I'm inclined to let them keep that one. Although I do recall some flap over the cost of Hillary's haircuts as compared to Kerry's. Not sure why it would have been news if all the haircuts were free...
J. B. Schmidt
11:15 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
This is pointless. The government officials will just change the rules to their own benefits on SS and Medicare. Therefore, they will still receive above average benefits while still maintaining the integrity of the pledge.
How about we stop making government a supplier of healthcare and retirements?
Bren
12:02 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Or, why don't we use government for services it can be transformative in providing, such as managing healthcare and retirement funds?
Johnny Blade
12:35 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Ummm because it is NOT the responsiblity of our constitutional government to do any of those things
J. B. Schmidt
12:39 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
@Bren
Your assumption that government can be transformative without the corruption we are currently seeing is the fallacy at the core of the liberal thought. When legislators legislate what is bought and sold, it is the legislators that are for sale.
c
5:32 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Bren actually thinks government is effective and efficient. Been to the DMV lately? How about the milwaukee county courthouse, which is staffed by a bunch of high school AA flunkies?
I see you don't get out much, or partake in the real world at all, go back to your bubble of ignorance.
Dave Koven
11:30 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Cow Dung...I stand corrected. Thank you.
susan scalero
4:36 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Excuse me gentlemen; but our elected officials do very well they work about 120 day's a year in Washington, at the salary of about $174,000 per year depending how long they have been around, that is $13,000 A DAY!!!!!! & they pay a host of handler's to do all the work that they put their name & face to. Is being healthy in this country only for the rich / educated? If I did'nt do my job no one would be going out eat!!
c
5:33 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Susan,
sounds like a union teacher. 6 figure compensation for about 7 months of work. Then moan and whine about how special, yet unappreciated, they are.