An earmark by any other name would smell so sweet

[Bob Wells]

Florida's public service employee pension system is far from fully funded, it's grossly underfunded in fact. Let's get that straight, up front.

As far as comparisons go, teachers don't sign up to take a bullet. They get paid for what they do. We all do.

Thats a pretty bold statement, back it up. Do you even know how it is funded?

 

[beachFool]

Thats a pretty bold statement, back it up. Do you even know how it is funded?

FRS participants have two options- a defined benefit option and a defined contribution option.

The DB plan remains farily well-funded.

http://hr.fiu.edu/uploads/file/BEN/BEN_Florida_Retirement_System_Funding_Status_03-23-09.pdf

While below 100% the plan's solvency is WAY above average for public pensions.

While the DB plan may have funding problems, pension benefits are guaranteed by the state of Florida.

 

[Bob]

Florida's public service employee pension system is far from fully funded, it's grossly underfunded in fact. Let's get that straight, up front.

As far as comparisons go, teachers don't sign up to take a bullet. They get paid for what they do. We all do.

Florida's pension fund can cover 88 percent of future obligations. this in the midst of a robust recession. The military is zero percent funded. where's your argument? want to puff out your chest and talk about taking bullets or do you let politics cloud your logic? the military currently gets it's funding from china. chew on that.

 

[30ashopper]

Florida's pension fund can cover 88 percent of future obligations. this in the midst of a robust recession. The military is zero percent funded. where's your argument? want to puff out your chest and talk about taking bullets or do you let politics cloud your logic? the military currently gets it's funding from china. chew on that.

What return do they assume when calculating that? ;-)

I don't have an argument with you, I was criticizing you for you're complete lack of tact in comparing civil service employees to U.S. military veterans who've seen active duty. You want to cut funding to the VA? Fine. If I had a choice between cutting SEIU pension benefits and the VA, I'd go with the SEIU every time.

 

[beachFool]

What return do they assume when calculating that? ;-)

.

Probably 8%.

If so, the unfunded liability would be greater.

 

[Bob]

What return do they assume when calculating that? ;-)

I don't have an argument with you, I was criticizing you for you're complete lack of tact in comparing civil service employees to U.S. military veterans who've seen active duty. You want to cut funding to the VA? Fine. If I had a choice between cutting SEIU pension benefits and the VA, I'd go with the SEIU every time.

Report says Florida's state pension fund has recovered from recession - St. Petersburg Times don't want to cut funding to the va, want to check some attitudes at the door regarding our debt and where it comes from. these wars we fight for no reason are criminal. you would cut the seiu because that's just you, and you don't need a reason. the entire military industrial complex is out of control, and well nigh untouchable. military pensions are zero funded, so if you want to talk of cutting pensions, let's be real and start trimming back folks in their 30s and 40s from collecting now! otherwise you have no argument.

 

[30ashopper]

Well you should separate your anti-war sentiment from your view of military benefits. The country doesn't lose anything by offering robust benefits to veterans, it gains. On the contrary public service employee benefits that out strip the private sector lead directly to a system similar to the French entitlement system. We don't want that here.

 

[scooterbug44]

I don't see how bashing one group and calling names is supposed to make me then feel sympathy for your cause.

2 of the non-partisan/mutually agreed upon opinions of Sowal are that we support our troops and think education is important.

Benefits for veterans and teachers getting paid a decent wage are a part of that.

 

[beachFool]

Well you should separate your anti-war sentiment from your view of military benefits. The country doesn't lose anything by offering robust benefits to veterans, it gains. On the contrary public service employee benefits that out strip the private sector lead directly to a system similar to the French entitlement system. We don't want that here.

I have no problem with robust benefits for veterans the issue we face is how to pay for them.

Currently we are putting the benefits on a credit card.

If our goal is to offer robust benefits and we are currently borrowing money to fund them, raising taxes on someone is more fiscally prudent.


Or we could wave a magic wand and poof all the problems go away.

Seriously the idea my side is good so it gets funded and your side is bad so it gets cut leads to polarization.

Nothing is solved.

 

[30ashopper]

I have no problem with robust benefits for veterans the issue we face is how to pay for them.

Currently we are putting the benefits on a credit card.

If our goal is to offer robust benefits and we are currently borrowing money to fund them, raising taxes on someone is more fiscally prudent.


Or we could wave a magic wand and poof all the problems go away.

Seriously the idea my side is good so it gets funded and your side is bad so it gets cut leads to polarization.

Nothing is solved.

Sure, that's a general problem across the board. Veterans benefits come out of the pentagon budget. If you require a 20% hair cut there, the penny pushers there can make decisions on where the money comes from. Assumedly it won't come out of benefits.

I still think systems tied to a payroll taxes should be split out and balanced to help clarify the problem.

Speaking of which, where does ObamaCare fit in to all of this? It doesn't have a revenue source. Where is the money for that coming? I fear they pulled it out of a hat or something. From what I remember a lot of the funding for healthcare subsidies came out of medicare cuts (500 billion over ten years I think?) So maybe that should get rolled in with medicare, and rshould ely on the same payroll tax numbers for balancing.