tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607144762948150931.post2517471598535824051..comments2023-06-27T08:39:54.324-07:00Comments on Pension Vocabulary : Seeking Inspiration: Or Just Gambling?John Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516552420300264491noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607144762948150931.post-10995752430966184422015-01-06T18:13:36.265-08:002015-01-06T18:13:36.265-08:00I recently read how much women are charged for &qu...I recently read how much women are charged for "rape kits" when they file a police report. In some areas, female rape victims are charged thousands of dollars for their required medical exams. Yes, the victims are victimized by the legal system meant to protect them. <br />http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/09/26/rape_kit_costs_louisiana_rape_victims_are_paying_thousands_of_dollars.html<br />Retirees in Illinois may soon be charged 3% of their non-COLA income by the legal system meant to protect them. Of course, if today's court declares that retirees must not be victimized, the thieves we call lawmakers will make new laws to legally victimize retirees.<br />I want very much to believe, “Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.”<br />In spite of my sincere desire to see justice served, I know that we must fight and fight some more and more, and... We are fighting for what we justly deserve. The big money boys who sponsor both political parties simply want whatever we have - one slice at a time.<br />I hope you have a healthy new year and enjoy the moments of love and connectedness that make life meaningful.Ken Previtihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10513924091013990654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607144762948150931.post-5544880154070202982015-01-06T15:37:28.561-08:002015-01-06T15:37:28.561-08:00P.S. "Happy New Year" to you too.P.S. "Happy New Year" to you too.gbrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13435049339082622611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607144762948150931.post-48940117884951243582015-01-06T15:35:54.269-08:002015-01-06T15:35:54.269-08:00Indeed, what we will never see published in the ja...Indeed, what we will never see published in the jaundiced Chicago Tribune is a full, investigative story regarding the state’s public retirement systems and why public employees are not responsible for the state’s budget deficit or for the underfunding of public sector funds. <br /><br />What we will never see published in the jaundiced Chicago Tribune is an investigative story about the state’s underfunding of the pensions for several decades, the exorbitant interest payments for the debts incurred, the resultant tax breaks for the wealthy and the decreasing of state revenues and the increasing of corporate fraud and greed that have largely contributed to the budget problems in Illinois.<br /><br />What we will never see published in the jaundiced Chicago Tribune is an editorial about Illinois legislators who diverted the state’s “constitutional and obligatory” contributions to other “operating expenses” and “special” interests for several decades, or an editorial about how the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois has depended mostly upon income from its own investments and contributions from its membership throughout the years. <br /> <br />What we will never see published and investigated in the jaundiced Chicago Tribune are the avarice, arrogance, irresponsibility, recklessness, corruption, and cronyism of the corporate and financial sector’s chief executives, the benefactors of many of the so-called Illinois policymakers.<br /><br />Instead, we get plenty of "simplistic depictions." <br />gbrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13435049339082622611noreply@blogger.com