Obscene salaries

[mookie1995]

OBSCENE SALARIES .......
THE WORK ETHIC WE INHERITED GROWING UP HAS FALLEN PREY TO THE 'WELFARE' SYSTEM
The Cato Institute released an updated 2013 study (original study in 1955) showing that welfare benefits pay more than a minimum wage job in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
Even worse, welfare pays more than $15 per hour in 13 states. According to the study, welfare benefits have increased faster than minimum wage. It’s now more profitable to sit at home than it is to earn an honest day’s pay.
Hawaii is the biggest offender, where welfare recipients earn $29.13 per hour, or a $60,590 yearly salary, all for doing nothing.
Here is the list of the states where the pre-tax equivalent “salary” that welfare recipients receive is higher than having a job:
1. Hawaii: $60,590
2. District of Columbia: $50,820
3. Massachusetts: $50,540
4. Connecticut: $44,370
5. New York: $43,700
6. New Jersey: $43,450
7. Rhode Island: $43,330
8. Vermont: $42,350
9. New Hampshire: $39,750
10. Maryland: $38,160
11. California: $37,160
12. Oregon: $34,300
13. Wyoming: $32,620
14. Nevada: $29,820
15. Minnesota: $29,350
16. Delaware: $29,220
17. Washington: $28,840
18. North Dakota: $28,830
19. Pennsylvania: $28,670
20. New Mexico: $27,900
21. Montana: $26,930
22. South Dakota: $26,610
23. Kansas: $26,490
24. Michigan: $26,430
25. Alaska: $26,400
26. Ohio: $26,200
27. North Carolina: $25,760
28. West Virginia: $24,900
29. Alabama: $23,310
30. Indiana: $22,900
31. Missouri: $22,800
32. Oklahoma: $22,480
33. Louisiana: $22,250
34. South Carolina: $21,910
As a point of reference the average Middle Class annual income today is $50,000, down from $54,000 at the beginning of the Great Recession. Hawaii, DC, and Massachusetts pay more in welfare than the average working folks earn there. Is it any wonder that they stay home rather than look for a job? Time for a drastic change, America is virtually bankrupt.
Are we Nuts or what? How do we un-do this type of stupidity on the part of Americans? This is crazy!
Salary of retired US Presidents $180,000 FOR LIFE
Salary of House/Senate....$174,000 FOR LIFE
This is stupid.
Salary of Speaker of the House ....$223,500 FOR LIFE!
This is really stupid.
Salary of Majority/Minority Leader $193,400 FOR LIFE!
Ditto last line.
Average Salary of a teacher .. $40,065
Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN .. $38,000
Think about this, Nancy Pelosi will retire as a Congress Person
at $174,000 Dollars a year for LIFE.
She has retired as SPEAKER at $223,500 a year, PLUS she will receive an additional $193,400 a year as Minority Leader.
That's $803,700 Dollars a year for LIFE including FREE medical
which is not available to us ... the taxpayers
She is just one of the hundreds of Senators and Congress that float in and out every year!
I think we found where the cuts should be made!

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Obscene salaries

Drones will be flying over your house and the IRS will make your life miserable.
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger though. They been tailing my arse since 2008.
It is a sad, sad country we now live in. Everything is backwards.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obscene salaries

A CEO of a smaller corporation can easily make $200k+. If we have one very talented person, would we rather have them working as a small company CEO or as a someone in charge of running this country. I have no problem using healthy salaries to attract the best to run our country. But that's me.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Obscene salaries

A CEO of a smaller corporation can easily make $200k+. If we have one very talented person, would we rather have them working as a small company CEO or as a someone in charge of running this country. I have no problem using healthy salaries to attract the best to run our country. But that's me.

This country is run by a palm-greasing system whereby 98% of the elected end up surrendering their ethics and voting for their mega-corporate campaign benefactors. So, when your boys come knocking in 10-20 years, you can count me out.

Mookie: Didn't you graduate from BU? Aren't you above this chain email crap?

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

A CEO of a smaller corporation can easily make $200k+. If we have one very talented person, would we rather have them working as a small company CEO or as a someone in charge of running this country. I have no problem using healthy salaries to attract the best to run our country. But that's me.

Yup, we're definitely attracting the best and brightest to run this country.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obscene salaries

This country is run by a palm-greasing system whereby 98% of the elected end up surrendering their ethics and voting for their mega-corporate campaign benefactors. So, when your boys come knocking in 10-20 years, you can count me out.

I don't disagree with either of you. I've said in FF's most important problems thread that special interests are the country's #1 problem. But factors that are driving special interests are independent of salary and need to be fixed on their own.

Once fixed though, you need to have the financial incentives to reward talent. Would McDonalds rather have their company talent behind a deep fryer or running their marketing department? In a capitalist society, money is just what needs to be done to attract talent...and we need the best and the brightest to figure out this country's problems.

 

[unofan]

Yup, we're definitely attracting the best and brightest to run this country.

Well, certainly not in Arizona. But that's your own fault.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

I don't disagree with either of you. I've said in FF's most important problems thread that special interests are the country's #1 problem. But factors that are driving special interests are independent of salary and need to be fixed on their own.

Once fixed though, you need to have the financial incentives to reward talent. Would McDonalds rather have their company talent behind a deep fryer or running their marketing department? In a capitalist society, money is just what needs to be done to attract talent...and we need the best and the brightest to figure out this country's problems.

The private sector will always pay a lot more than government will be able to. Not that we shouldn't pay top government officials well, but fundamentally you shouldn't expect them to come work for the government just so they get a big paycheck. Public service was once a much more respected thing to do with one's life than it is now.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obscene salaries

The private sector will always pay a lot more than government will be able to. Not that we shouldn't pay top government officials well, but fundamentally you shouldn't expect them to come work for the government just so they get a big paycheck. Public service was once a much more respected thing to do with one's life than it is now.

Yeah, and no.

Tim Pawlenty cashed out and is making huge coin now ONLY because of his public sector work. He'd never be pulling the coin he is now if he hadn't been Governor. People who go into government usually have the connections to make huge dollars afterwards that are NOT available to someone who just stays in the private sector.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

Yeah, and no.

Tim Pawlenty cashed out and is making huge coin now ONLY because of his public sector work. He'd never be pulling the coin he is now if he hadn't been Governor. People who go into government usually have the connections to make huge dollars afterwards that are NOT available to someone who just stays in the private sector.

Certainly true. The flow of folks between government and industry are cause for a variety of questions and concerns. When someone who, say, regulated an industry one day is lobbying for said industry the next day, such a situation reasonably raises some eyebrows.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obscene salaries

Certainly true. The flow of folks between government and industry are cause for a variety of questions and concerns. When someone who, say, regulated an industry one day is lobbying for said industry the next day, such a situation reasonably raises some eyebrows.

And some pocketbooks.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

And some pocketbooks.

Certainly pocketbooks are involved, as they always are.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obscene salaries

The problem with Bob's passion for public service is that it has become passion for ideology instead. These public servants are so hooked into ideology that they put it before what's best for the country. I've seen it in the few politicians I've met. Sure, they personally try to position it to themselves as a win-win...but in the end, it turns up being their personal ideology that their sure is best for their constituency. While money can't fix that, it can help attract others that are more 'professionals' rather than 'ideologues'.

I'd rather pay sufficient amounts to congress along the lines mookie discussed...and put limits on the relationships congress can have with industry. Otherwise, the net message is that congress, etc needs to rely on kickbacks to make a comparable living to the outside...so they will seek those relationships out. Fix the special interests issue as best you can, then we can find appropriate salary levels.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

The problem with Bob's passion for public service is that it has become passion for ideology instead. These public servants are so hooked into ideology that they put it before what's best for the country. I've seen it in the few politicians I've met. Sure, they personally try to position it to themselves as a win-win...but in the end, it turns up being their personal ideology that their sure is best for their constituency. While money can't fix that, it can help attract others that are more 'professionals' rather than 'ideologues'.

I'd rather pay sufficient amounts to congress along the lines mookie discussed...and put limits on the relationships congress can have with industry. Otherwise, the net message is that congress, etc needs to rely on kickbacks to make a comparable living to the outside...so they will seek those relationships out. Fix the special interests issue as best you can, then we can find appropriate salary levels.

So, you are against good public service? I figured that'd be something everyone would support, but I sometimes forget people like you that never miss a chance to try to take a shot.

Oh, and you thinking you know what I have a passion for or don't have a passion for is laughable and if you knew me in daily life you'd realize how silly what you said is.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Obscene salaries

The issue is much more complex than just ethically questionable "kickbacks." Ex-public officials have potential to earn significant amounts of money in plenty of squeaky-clean ways that nobody would question - speaking fees, consulting (without advocating/lobbying), etc. Sure, Senators may only make $200K while in office, but they are virtually guaranteed to make millions after leaving office. Would doubling or tripling their in-office salaries really incentivize any "better" candidates to run for office?

 

[eaglehockeyrules]

Re: Obscene salaries

Ugh... is the purpose of this thread to make those who pull up their boots by the bootstraps, do the work and earn the pay feel bad? I don't. That is what is wrong with America, IMO. Liberals want the working [white] population to pay for "those behind us..." (your Obama quote). I am not for taking care of those behind us, and before you call me a racist, homophobe, heterophobe, xenophobe, etc., I do not feel as though it is for me to coddle and care for those who are lazy. What is the point of getting a degree, or advanced degree? Yet the liberals believe everyone should hold a degree or two. Who will pay for it? Why me? America is getting out of hand. Putin is a "bully" the lady actors have their panties in a bunch because they think the word "bossy" is mean.

Meh, I am just glad that Janine Garafolo is not lambasting me as a racist... even though I did not vote Obama. Time to go watch some Judge Judy then The Kardashians, talk about a war on women, why Christianity is evil but islam is not, and let's not forget everyone MUST accept gays as equals but really more than us.

Having opinions and thoughts is a bad thing during the Obama years. America has become 1984, under the watchful eye of the dear leader Obama, Mr. Translucent himself!

Cheers,

EHR

PS I am not in favor of gay marriage. The State needs to stay out of the Church. Put it to the vote (like California) and see just what happens. I also do not favor country music, or the color green.

 

[French Rage]

Re: Obscene salaries

Dammit mookie.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obscene salaries

The issue is much more complex than just ethically questionable "kickbacks." Ex-public officials have potential to earn significant amounts of money in plenty of squeaky-clean ways that nobody would question - speaking fees, consulting (without advocating/lobbying), etc. Sure, Senators may only make $200K while in office, but they are virtually guaranteed to make millions after leaving office. Would doubling or tripling their in-office salaries really incentivize any "better" candidates to run for office?

I don't think so, given that their salaries are not a pittance. Now, there are jobs, like some state legislatures, where the representatives are paid a very small amount(like $15,000 a year), and the job takes up a lot of their time, so it's hard to work an outside job while being a representative to makes ends meet. In a situation like that, I would raise the pay to a wage where someone could do that as their primary job and be able to pay the bills.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Obscene salaries

Pelosi will not retire with full benefit of all those positions as she will only retire from one of them. Not arguing against the larger point per se, but someone needs to fact check.

 

[Rover]

Re: Obscene salaries

Pelosi will not retire with full benefit of all those positions as she will only retire from one of them. Not arguing against the larger point per se, but someone needs to fact check.

Fact check? Facts have no place in a good rant. What are you, some kind of librul pansy? GTF out of here.