The Governor of the once great state of Texas (circa Ann Richards) reveals his revolting hypocritical colors again.
No, this is not about yet another one of Rick Perry's debate gaffe horror shows. Nor does it provide any more details on the interesting news about the Governor's alleged secret private life. Actually this recent snippet of news might be worse for Rick Perry. For the implications could fuel red hot angry fires, those only known in hell, from Perry's ultra conservative base. Especially those whose pension funds have been negatively impacted by Rick Perry and the Texas Republican ruthless slashing of state budgets.
"I do advocate totally rethinking the safety net, personal security programs completely. ... Why is the government collecting your tax money for retirement and health care programs? That's not a stated constitutional role."
And yet the head government-basher-in-chief in Texas can't get by without personally profiting immensely from government programs.
The good people of Texas now know that their fiscally conservative, big government, pension, social security destroyer Governor is, in fact, a shameless double dipper.
It seems that Rick Perry "retired" from his job in order to collect his state pension and yet the Governor receives a six figure salary for being, well, the Governor of Texas.
Now it is true that one can collect one's retirement benefits when one reaches a certain age while one can continue to remain employed. I personally work with folks who work full-time while drawing their social security checks. This is perfectly legal. They have paid into the system for as long as they have worked and they have every right to collect their due.
But Rick Perry used all forms of government, including pension funds, as a battering ram for a vicious right wing assault on social programs that benefit middle class working people. And so while it is OK for Slick to collect his due, you and I somehow don't have the same right. The fact that Slick took his retirement benefit should strike some fear into the bloodstreams of state workers. Maybe he took his before he kills off those for everyone else.
One can never know with the likes of self-serving narcissists like Rick Perry.
AUSTIN - Unbeknownst to most Texans, Gov. Rick Perry officially retired in January so he could draw early pension benefits worth $7,699 a month, in addition to his annual governor's salary of $150,000.
Perry's January retirement - on paper, at least - was revealed Friday when the Federal Elections Commission released the financial disclosure statement the governor was required to file as a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The annuity brings Perry's total state government-related income to $242,388 a year.
Not a bad piece of change, no? We have a Mr. 1% for Governor.
Mike Gross, head of the 12,000-member Texas State Employees Union, said Perry's pension deal "will sit badly" with other public employees.
"People are acutely aware that there's a very strong criticism and all-out assault by conservatives on public employee pension systems. But he's taking care of himself," Gross said.
Gross said he had never heard of a Texas official doing what Perry has done.
"Regular employees who retire and return to work get their pension frozen and don't accrue additional years of service - and those people are strongly criticized as being double-dippers and trying to exploit a unique situation," he said.
Check out a few of the comments posted by outraged citizens.
Amazing. As a public employee pension recipient, I am amazed at this action by a man who has railed against the pensions of so many others whenever it was convenient. I don't have issue with taking a service pension, but taking a service pension while still employed, even in an elected position, is unconscionable in my book. This is not like the DROP for the Houston public safety pensions - those pensions don't pay out the pension to someone still in active duty; it is just accumulated. Not so for Perry - he is banking the money now. Simply amazing.
This is an annuity system he paid into for many years..."
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Good freaking grief!! If he averaged $100K a year as a state employee, he would have contributed all of $162K over that 25 years (assuming the 6.5% mentioned in the article), and yet he gets all that and more in under 2 years, and many, many times over (roughly $3M) over the next 30 years. OMG what a raping of the taxpayers these state employees are getting away with. And of course who can stop it, since it is these parasites who make the rules and take, by force, such an overwhelmingly extravagant pay/benefit package from, and at the expense of the public sector.
I've said before and I will say it again. Republican politicians and Blue Dog Democrats view government as a cash cow for themselves and their sugar daddy donors.
Here is another comment.
Let see now, lets move some words around and see how this sounds. Teacher works for 23 years and is 51 takes a retirement maybe 3000 bucks a month(teachers make less than Rick) then they go back to the classroom and teach for another paycheck....at taxpayer expense.(not possible, politicians made rules about that) It can even be one of those teachers that are in an evil so-called union. How does that sound?
Let's see , a guy works for 25 years in the real world. Pays into SS all those years. Then get a job teaching. Teaches long enough to retire from teaching but can't collect on SS because he taught school and gets TRS.
When Rick leaves the governor's office he will get another retirement check too. It will be based on the fact that he is an elected official. I kind get the sense that these guys have created a nice deal for themselves and we allowed it to happen.
You folks have to stop believing these liars/ thieves/politicians. They do not represent you...unless of course you are one of the few who pay big bucks to have some say. The rest of us are just the peasants.
The average voters are just used for the votes. They really don't matter after the election process. They are never on the bought and paid for politicians radar after the election.
Rick has spent his entire adult life living off the taxpayers. What do you expect from a real successful welfare cheat?...and voters let it happen and according to some here think it's ok. eh go figure?
He/she has a good point about how voters are used and the fact that anti-tax Slick has been taking a taxpayer issued paycheck for the last 25 years.
Another angry comment.
The hypocrisy of the typical republican is highlighted by Perry's actions. He's a lying, two faced, miscreant with the moral and ethical properties of a low life wino. His "Praise Jesus" wailing about what a great christian he is just proves he's a complete joke. This all just goes towards proving that 90% of republicans are nothing more than blowhards who are incapable of living the life they claim to. Just more direct proof that this country can not prosper under republican rule and that republicans are the single most dangerous entity to walk upright on 2 feet!!
If Rick Perry had an ethical bone in his self-serving body he would head back to Texas to explain himself to the people. Don't hold your breath folks.
In the meantime let's think about a couple of bumper stickers to make.
