Chaffetz Plans to Wipe Out Federal Employees Pensions

[Cattledog]

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he wants to do away with the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity and keep only the 401K-style benefit, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), for new and recent hires.

This means federal employees will lose an important element of their compensation. They would no longer be eligible for any defined benefit annuity at all. The pension that Chaffetz would eliminate produces modest but important benefits for federal retirees.

Current FERS retirees receive an average of under $20,000 per year from this benefit. Chaffetz seems to take joy from hurting government workers, including those in his district. Do you think he remembers that nearly a third of federal employees are also veterans?

If he carries out his promises, he will take away employees' ability to retire with dignity and provide for their families.

He’s also telling a new generation of Americans to take their talents elsewhere. As our government is fighting a cyberwarfare, struggling to take care of veterans returning from wars, and finding cures for deadly diseases, we need talented people to join the government now more than ever.

It’s clear the Chaffetz proposal, not VA nurses or CDC scientists, is what’s wrong with the government.


https://www.afge.org/article/chaffetz-plans-to-wipe-out-federal-employees-pensions/

[SummerSnow]

1. Why of course, they need the money to build their wall and make missiles.

[tenorly]

34. And to throw at billionaires so they may stuff their Cayman accounts even more.

They have needs too, you know.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

2. As a retired Fed this terrifies me. He'll come for existing Fed retirees next.

[SummerSnow]

4. And all of those Trump voters who are Federal workers will have buyers remorse.

Be careful what you wish for. This is shameful and hurtful.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

13. There must be some who did but during my career pretty much the only

Republican Feds I encountered were political appointees.

[Eliot Rosewater]

29. WE need to understand something, the GOP hates you.

They want all of our money.

They are going to take away everything.

HOpefully enough of us will stand up and say no, very forcefully.

[Bozvotros]

49. That's not the case here.

It must depend on where you live. I can tell you for a fact Democrats and liberals are a distinct minority of federal employees in my neck of the woods. Any employee benefiting from or belonging to a union who then goes out and votes Republican is nuts by definition. But a whole hell of a lot of them do.

[ananda]

42. I wonder if the FBI is exempt.

I hope not.

[IronLionZion]

61. I've encountered Republican and Trumper Feds

it always baffled me when they complain about high taxes and spending when it pays their salary.

Law enforcement and military have lots of them as civilian employees. What really baffled me was when I encountered them at social security and medicare (CMS) and complain about socialism. Some were just crotchety old farts claiming they like having the benefits for themselves but hope it's all gone by the time the younger undeserving people need it.

[annabanana]

22. Ditto.. 55% survivor here . . .n/t

[Jacob Boehme]

40. Section 4 of the 14th amendment is our best friend.

[superpatriotman]

3. Does that include Congress?

It should.

[SummerSnow]

5. Oh no, they will keep theirs

[JMCoast]

20. Of Course they will but

they sure do hate government don't they? I wonder why they do everything they can to get elected and re-elected and then shit on everyone else who works in the government...such hypocrites !!

[TrekLuver]

15. This

[lapucelle]

33. +1000

[grantcart]

8. baloney most Federal Employees make less than 50k

[angstlessk]

9. NO, NO, NO...private employees are grossly

UNDERPAID!!!!!

AND it's getting worse under republicans

[yellowcanine]

11. Source? You make a claim like that you need to source it.

And please, nothing from right wing think tanks.

[grantcart]

47. Cato Institute and other right wing sites

They forget about DOD civilian, postal and Lower paying VA jobs and cherry pick a few management positions..

just another troll.

[eleny]

12. Begrudging, resentful, envious? Or just...

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[mythology]

16. Nonsense

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/09/federal-salaries-lag-private-sector-by-35-percent-on-average-pay-council-says/?utm_term=.be2805436f6c

https://thinkprogress.org/federal-workers-are-underpaid-compared-to-their-private-sector-counterparts-despite-gops-assertions-ea6804fab9af

[shraby]

7. That needs to be extended to the congresscritters too. They are the biggest dippers.

[DeminPennswoods]

10. Figured that was only a matter of time

Reagan replaced CSRS with FERS in 1984. If you can save and invest in TSP, FERS actually could get you a better pension than CSRS, but being able to save is the hard part. TSP is pretty good as the gov't will match up to 5k or 10k, forget which, in real dollars annually of what you invest. The last part of the pension is social security, so if that goes, all civil servants will be left with is the TSP.

I, and I'm sure other federal civil servants, have always believed the motive was to grab part of our pension money to apply to the federal deficit. I'd bet this is the same ploy only with a little less money to steal.

[Ford_Prefect]

31. Paying down the deficit is a Trojan horse. GOP has never reduced the debt.

Its about financial security and about political power.

They think anyone working should be doing so for minimum wage. They want to damage anyone who might vote against them. They also do it to hurt anyone they can as a show of their power over we puny voters. Their reasoning is like Rove's that politics is a game for sharks and only the ruthless deserve to win.

Chaffetz is one of the Koch Brothers' tools intent on dismantling Federal power and Federal benefits.

[guillaumeb]

54. The Government will match TSP contributions up to 5% of the total.

So if an employee contributes at least 10% of their base pay into the TSP, Uncle will contribute an additional 5%.

The GOP has also talked about capping the "G" fund earnings at 1% and keeping the rest.

[Initech]

14. The GOP loves to talk shit about jobs but in reality they don't give a fuck

Either you are for the working class, or you're not. And they're definitely not.

[Turbineguy]

17. Break the civil service,

privatize for profit.

[GentryDixon]

18. I hate this little weasel faced effer.

Sorry Mom. I know you hated when I let the F word fly, but this guy needs to go.

[liberalhistorian]

19. I suppose this doesn't include

his own lavish congressional retirement benefits and perks, or those of his republiCON cronies. But it probably does include veterans, whom he claims to love and support oh-so-much. Who the fuck does this motherfucker think he is, anyway? Maybe HE is the one who deserves to be locked up.

[wishstar]

21. Senators Burr, Coburn had bill in 2011 to eliminate federal pensions so it will probably happen now

I fully expect this to go through with Repub in White House, as well as the proposed bill for reduction of future Social Security benefits.

Younger people will have to continue working longer and struggle on lower retirement/disability pay. Most of these DC politicians think everyone should work until 70 or they drop dead.

[Ohioblue22]

23. well you know it was trump or hillary and hill had some bogus

email problem thank god we dodge that bullet.

[Squinch]

36. You know they're all the same, though. I read that on DU so it must be true.

[bucolic_frolic]

24. His own, too?

In a pig's eye

[Thor_MN]

25. Lead by example Chaffetz. Convert Congress's defined benefit pensions into 401Ks.

Study the effects for multiple years and investigation after investigation, Then get back to us if it is worthwhile to do to other Federal Employees what you have done to yourself.

[elleng]

26. He'll lose his too!

[Mark.Gray]

27. Outrageous (of course)

I have often noted that there are some who would rather take benefits away from some, rather than work to offer them to all...perhaps a heartless fanaticism might explain some of this?

[KewlKat]

28. If it wasn't bad enough that I will have to walk in my door and see that MFers

face hanging on the wall......I've already been worrying about my TSP, now without FERs.....I would have lived on public land I guess, but that too will be given away........guess we need a commune for all of us oldsters that won't have a retirment income.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. They are tightening the screws so much on middle class tRump supporters. Gonna backfire.

The Republicons are so drunk with power they are losing sight of what they are doing and most especially losing sight of the effects of what they do. They think that only the poor will get screwed by their actions.

[elleng]

32. Think Federal JUDGES will think much of these plans???

[Squinch]

35. I vote OK, but only if Chaffetz's pension is wiped out too. And his medical insurance.

[TNNurse]

37. I consider him a Federal employee.

[nini]

38. I'm 2 years away from civil service retirement

I cannot tell you how much I fear I won't get that at all with this shitholes.

[Historic NY]

39. Lets cut their lifetime pensions....

until they serve 20+ years

[benld74]

41. Chaffee is a toad

[Blue Idaho]

43. Chaffetz is going to have to spend the rest of his life

Watching his back. This is the kinda shit that puts a target on your back - permanently.

[Hulk]

44. I hate this bastard so bad!

I thought Issa was the worst thing possible, but this witch hunting, political piece of shit is definitely WORSE.

We need to not only launch a defense, but an OFFENSE to this little self righteous rat.

[LisiFFXV]

45. I can tell you right now

that ANYONE with a STEM degree will completely avoid federal service after this... as they will be able to do far better in a private sector career. Which will be devastating, as STEM is most needed by the gov today.

Ironically, a LARGE percentage of the federal workforce is also former military. What happened with support for veterans?

[elleng]

46. INFO:Congressional pension

Congressional pension is a pension made available to members of the United States Congress. Members who participated in the congressional pension system are vested after five (5) years of service. A full pension is available to members 62 years of age with 5 years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of service at any age. A reduced pension is available depending upon which of several different age/service options is chosen. If Members leave Congress before reaching retirement age, they may leave their contributions behind and receive a deferred pension later.[1] The current pension program, effective January 1987, is under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), which covers members and other federal employees whose federal employment began in 1984 or later. This replaces the older Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for most members of congress and federal employees.'>>>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension

[ffr]

48. Of course! More yachts for him and his uber-rich-elite friends

Raiding and looting: what Republicons are best at.

[lancelyons]

50. I believe that the government should not provide retirement plans and a 401K is sufficient.

First I hate the GOP and Trump and think they are all liars. Alternative realities and alternative facts have been around since Rush Limbaugh and fox news went live. With that being said....

I believe that the government should not provide retirement plans and a 401K is sufficient with some matching.

In order to reduce the deficits and debt you have to find sensible ways to cut costs. Most of us working for companies have just a 401K with matching. This should be the same thing in the federal and state governments, otherwise the rest of us pay taxes to help other peoples retirement plans when we could be using that money to help our own retirement plans.

[Doitnow]

55. My husband worked for the FAA for 30 years, all the while

paying 7% of his wages towards retirement. His position in private industry would have paid much higher for his services, but he took lower pay because he was promised good retirement-----and now a reduced amount is to be taken away from me as a survivor. You are not being asked to pay for someone else's plan. Where is the money he paid in? Sounds like some more rethug stealing to me.

[lancelyons]

59. I agree that is a common thing I here but not larely

Nowadays government positions pay as well as outside positions. I work outside and all that companies provide for retirement savings are 401ks. That's the only thing I have as a retirement besides ssa. I am not keen on having to give up my money to help fund retirements of others. I don't mind paying their salaries but not retirement. Government employees can do 401ks as well. Many pension plans have killed a number of cities because they can't afford them.

[jeffreyi]

67. These are not benefits, they are our earnings.

[nini]

56. WE do pay into those plans you know

It's not just given to us as a thank you.

[Barack_America]

57. Then you can spend your taxes to increase their salaries...

...to at-par with the private sector.

Which will actually cost more money, but whatever.

[Jakes Progress]

58. You are very uninformed.

Defined benefit retirement is the only humane way to conduct a country. A 401K is just a way for the banisters to get their hands on your retirement.

Stop listening to the republican crap about the need to reduce the debt, and cut costs. If the upper 10% paid in taxes what they did when almost everyone had a shot at a pension, there would be no "budget crisis". The desire to cut pensions is only a desire to further enrich the bloated class. Read David Cay Johnston's book "Perfectly Legal".

And stay off of murdoch's channel.

[uponit7771]

60. RWTP seeing wingers don't care about deficits or debt when they're in office... we know that

[alarimer]

64. NO IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT

Troll.

[Victor_c3]

51. I'm so thankful for my FERS disability retirement

By itself, it isn't a lot. However, it provides my wife and kids with the same health insurance I had when I was working and about $800 a month after all of the deductions. On top of that, I get SSDI and a decent disability benefit from the VA. I'm very grateful to have FERS.

[shenmue]

52. Fuck this bastidge

[Cha]

53. WTF.. wipe out chaffetz' pension

[titaniumsalute]

62. I'm sure his staffers love the idea???

[alarimer]

63. Pretty rich coming from a guy who has a pension for LIFE.

Fuck you, Chaffetz, you piece of shit.

[MBS]

65. EXACTLY.n/t

[Doitnow]

66. More Lie, Cheat and Steal----the Rethug motto