eep, thanks Lisa!  I'm really embarrassed I didn't snopes that before
responding.

it seems to be a pretty good rule of thumb that any email that instructs
you to forward it is bogus.


--- \/	 FROM Lisa Hsu AT 05.10.04 17:16 (Today)   \/ ---

> somehow, that just seemed very fishy and so i googled "congress pension" and
> this is what i got:
>
> http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm
> and
> http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp
>
> it just seemed a little impossible.
>
>
> on another note - in my search for something else, i came across this, which
> makes me cheerful (ha):
>
> http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b 9697
>
>
>
> On 10/4/05, Kevin Lochner   wrote:
> >
> >
> > just a little something to provoke govt irritation . . .
> >
> > -----
> >
> >
> > WHY WAIT UNTIL 2008? THERE IS AN ELECTION IN 2006. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN
> > FIRMLY STATING THAT YOU WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY POLITICIAN, REGARDLESS OF THE
> > OTHER ISSUES, IF HE DOES NOT SPONSOR AND SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION.
> > THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE STANDING FOR ELECTION IN 2006.
> >
> >
> > LET US SHOW OUR LEADERS IN WASHINGTON "PEOPLE POWER" AND THE POWER OF THE
> > INTERNET. LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE WITH ME ON THIS BY FORWARDING TO EVERYONE
> > IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK.
> >
> >
> > IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT!
> >
> > KEEP IT GOING!!!!
> >
> > 2008 Election Issue!!
> >
> > GET A BILL STARTED TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOC. SEC.
> >
> >
> > This must be an issue in "2008" Please! Keep it going.
> >
> > ----------------------------------
> >
> > SOCIAL SECURITY:
> >
> > Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years.
> >
> > Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of
> > course, they do not collect from it.
> >
> > You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their
> > rare elevation in society.They felt they should have a special plan  >
/SPAN> for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their "own" benefit
> > plan.
> >
> > In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it.
> > After all, it is a great plan.
> >
> > For all practical purposes their plan works like this:
> > When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die.
> >
> > Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments..
> >
> > For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect
> > to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand
> > Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of
> > their lives.
> >
> > This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two
> > Dignitaries.
> >
> >
> > Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more
> > during the rest of their lives.
> >
> > Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. NADA....ZILCH....
> >
> > This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick
> > up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come
> > directly from the General Funds;
> >
> > "OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"!
> >
> > From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid)
> > into, - every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our
> > employer)-we can expect to get an average of $1,000 per month after
> > retirement.
> > Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly
> > benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal "Senator" Bill Bradley's
> > benefits!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made.
> >
> > That change would be to:
> >
> >
> > Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and
> > Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us
> >
> >
> > then sit back.....
> >
> >
> > and see how fast they would fix it!
> >
> > If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted
> > and maybe good changes will evolve.
> >
> > How many people
> > CAN you send this to?
> >
> > Better yet.....
> >
> >
> > How many people WILL you send this to ?
> >
> >
> > Never give up, even when the odds are stacked against you and you feel
> > that
> > there is no hope. You can never have "No" or "Can't" or "Won't" in your
> > heart,
> > better yet, keep it out of your vocabulary. Have faith in yourself, even
> > when
> > no one else seems to, and when your faith is lacking, remember those that
> > have faith in you no matter what.
> >
> > - David A. McNally -
> >
> >
> >
>

-- 
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/dreeves  - -  google://"Daniel Reeves"

"Helmet laws are bad for the gene pool." -- Bicycling Magazine