Rush Limbaugh: Entitlement Mentality And The Government

[shopgirl]

I received this in an email and I thought I would share it with all of you. Indeed I find it sad that our military is paid so little when they do so much. And it is a fact that some of the lower ranked military personnel and their families are on food stamps.

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Whether you like Rush Limbaugh or not this is worth reading. It is
thought provoking and will make you realize the value placed by the "representatives of the people" and the "people" themselves .... on the front line defenders of our freedoms. I just wanted to pass this along.


By Rush Limbaugh



I think the vast differences in compensation between the
victims of the September 11th casualty, and those who die serving the country in uniform, are profound. No one is really talking about it either because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11th. Well, I just can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country.


If you lost a family member in the September 11th attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.

If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier
killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable. Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt. Keep in mind that some of the people that are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.

We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11th families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over fifty years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time when a pay raise comes up for the military they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low rent housing.

However our own U.S. Congress just voted themselves a raise, and many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one-time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month and most are now equal to be millionaires plus. They also do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system.

If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out
as an E-7 you may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed you in harms way receive a pension of $15,000 per month.

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and
join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by shopgirl
...Whether you like Rush Limbaugh or not this is worth reading. It is thought provoking and will make you realize the value placed by the "representatives of the people" and the "people" themselves .... on the front line defenders of our freedoms. I just wanted to pass this along.

He hit the nail right on the head... and he's right.

I can only take Rush Limbaugh in small doses. When he begins to spew hot air and gloat about himself, that's when I exercise my Constitutional right to turn off the radio or switch to another station.

[PSK480]

Although I may not agree with Rush on a few things, for the most part I think he is right. My dad was telling me about the pay scale when he was in, the early 1970s. I'm sure, unlike in the private sector, cost of living increases have been few and far between. I agree we need to raise the pay rates for our service men and women. We could find the money in other bloated departments, and this would save us from having to raise taxes. I also don't see why they can't collect social security. I am not a fan of the system what so ever, but, there are people who put next to nothing into the system and come out with wads of money when they recieve their checks, this at the same time that if/when I would be able to collect I would have a decent amount of money I put in and would not even come close to getting it out, and I'm talking the principle amount. But that's my rant on the issue

[KillarneyRose]

I definitely agree with Rush on this one. Military members get some nice perks such as free healthcare, commissary and exchange privleges (sp?) and a housing allowance, but their base pay is extremely low.

When my husband's Navy Reserve unit was activated, he received Lieutenant Commander (0-5) pay for 6 months. If his civilian employer hadn't been supremely genorous and paid us the difference between his Navy pay and what we were used to, we would have been in deep doodie.

People often join the military because of a desire to defend their country. The country should be grateful and not force the soldier or sailor to choose between his sense of duty and financial stability.

[James]

Military pay now is a damn sight different than it was in the 70's and eary 80's.

There are several different factors involved with figuring pay scale:

Years served:

Rank:

Specialties:

Housing Allowances etc. Per Diems for travel . Hazardsous duty . . .etc

If Mr. Kilarney Rose was O-5 with 10 years in (they probably weren't all active?) his base salary would be:

$5,222 a month a little over 60 thousand a year with various bonuses thrown in. The per diems can really add up.

At 15 years: its 5 thousand more a year.

The enlisted get kind of shafted, but the officers are compensated.

Here is a basic link without including perks.

http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/2003-REV1.pdf

[shopgirl]

Originally posted by James
Military pay now is a damn sight different than it was in the 70's and eary 80's.

There are several different factors involved with figuring pay scale:

Years served:

Rank:

Specialties:

Housing Allowances etc. Per Diems for travel . Hazardsous duty . . .etc

If Mr. Kilarney Rose was O-5 with 10 years in (they probably weren't all active?) his base salary would be:

$5,222 a month a little over 60 thousand a year with various bonuses thrown in. The per diems can really add up.

At 15 years: its 5 thousand more a year.

The enlisted get kind of shafted, but the officers are compensated.

Here is a basic link without including perks.

http://www.dfas.mil/money/milpay/pay/2003-REV1.pdf

James,

You are correct. Time and grade makes a huge difference. Indeed the enlisted get shafted. And it is the lower rank enlisted men and women who have to use food stamps in order to get by.

Thank you for sharing your information.

[Munchkin03]

$60K when you don't have to pay for healthcare (keep in mind that many Americans who make a third of that don't get free healthcare!) and you get a housing allowance, isn't very bad at all. I grew up in a military town, so I don't question the hard work for little pay that goes into being an enlisted man/woman. I normally can't stand Limbaugh, but what he has to say makes a lot of sense.

The interesting thing is that I know a lot of kids from my high school, who knew they weren't going to college, who enlisted. Why? Relative financial stability. They knew that their jobs were secure, they'd have healthcare, and that they'd get perks such as travel, base housing, and VA loans. I don't think the thought of risking their lives even came into the equation. So, a lot of people aren't giving up military involvement for financial stability--because there's a big difference between stability and prosperity.

No one's getting "wads" of money from Social Security. For a lot of retirees, their pension and Social don't even pay the bills.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by shopgirl


James,

You are correct. Time and grade makes a huge difference. Indeed the enlisted get shafted. And it is the lower rank enlisted men and women who have to use food stamps in order to get by.

Thank you for sharing your information.

Many of the newer and younger NY firefighters who have children are also on food stamps. They were considered heroes a mere 16 months ago, and they aren't paid enough to feed their children. It's tragic.

[James]

I am not sure I agree with you shopgirl. To the best of my understanding you have the option of living in base housing (not the nicest granted) as an enlisted member or securing a place off base that comes with a housing supplement.

Food stamps are a way for families to get ahead in some ways because I believe that some of the "extra money" military personel get doesn't show up as conventional income. Hence they can subsidize their food purchases by qualifying for food stamps even at a higher (invisible) income. But I could be wrong here.

But what do you purpose as an answer? We are fielding a full time proffessional army that has historically always been a drain on its host country because it has no purpose when there is peace.

I am not belittling the idea of honor and glory. Or even the more practical concept of domestic security. But what kind of value do you want to put on service?

If you live your entire career in the military "prepared" for conflict that never comes would that diminish your service and should that be compensated less?

You do make more money in actual War Time.

I am just not quite sure where you are going. If I made 1200 a month and was single, had a clothing allowance, housing/food, and was single I could live. (Colllege lol).

If I were to marry and have kids at a very low pay grade with little room for advancement that might be different.

Originally posted by shopgirl


James,

You are correct. Time and grade makes a huge difference. Indeed the enlisted get shafted. And it is the lower rank enlisted men and women who have to use food stamps in order to get by.

Thank you for sharing your information.

[shopgirl]

Hi there James

To be honest, I don't have a proposal. But I would like to say that you have made some very good points in your last post and my wheels are turning...

[AlphaSigOU]

I can only speak from my experience in the Air Force as an enlisted man way back about 15 years ago -- other services may be different.

Unmarried airmen up to the paygrade of E-4 generally live in on-base quarters; while in government-furnished quarters they do not receive BAQ (except for a 'token' amount, see below) and eat for free in the dining hall (unless there is no facility at the base). Depending on the housing situation you could put yourself on the list to move off base and receive BAQ/BAS (Basic Allowance for Quarters/Basic Allowance for Subsistence) which was based on seniority in that grade.

(Back in my days E-4 was the dual rank of Senior Airman (SrA) and Sergeant (Sgt) -- the only difference was that a sergeant had at least one year's time in grade and graduated from the NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) Preparatory Course (now called Airman Leadership School) -- what was disparagingly called 'maggot school'. Nowadays, NCO status in the Air Force is not conferred until the paygrade of E-5 (Staff Sergeant). The Army confers NCO status on E-4s appointed to the rank of Corporal (mostly in infantry and other combat arms units) and the Navy and Marine Corps confer NCO status upon reaching E-4 (Petty Officer 3rd Class/Corporal).

Married airmen have the option of living off base or in government-furnished on-base quarters. If they live on base, all they get is a 'token' payment for BAQ (this also applies to unmarried airmen); they are eligible to receive BAS. Depending on the base they are stationed at, both married and unmarried airmen (as well as officers) receive a cost-of living allowance. Flight pay, special duty and hazardous duty pay also adds to the paycheck depending on the career field and location.

For enlisted, a clothing allowance is paid for uniforms on entry into basic training, then again after six months active service and thereafter once a year. Some career fields have allowances for the purchase of civilian clothing. Officers do not receive a clothing allowance except the civilian clothing allowance, if required by their career field.

Promotion to the first three enlisted grades is generally automatic after fulfilling time-in grade requirements. Generally in peacetime, it's practically next to impossible to get beyond E-4 in your first four-year hitch.

Promotion to E-5 through E-9 (Staff Sergeant through Chief Master Sergeant) is done through a competitive program called WAPS (Weighted Airman Promotion System). This consists of two tests, one to determine knowledge in your specialty, another measures knowledge in military and administrative subjects, called the Promotion Fitness Examination. The scores from both tests, pluse the average of the number and type of awards and decorations, performance reviews, time in grade and time in service determine the 'cutoff score' for the promotion cycle. Those who score above the cutoff are assigned a 'line number' and are promoted based on how high their line number is up until the cutoff number is reached. Promotions to the 'supergrades' (E-8 and E-9, Senior and Chief Master Sergeant) is even more selective, with WAPS supplemented by a central promotion board.

Hope this gives you guys a little more detail on military pay and allowances... there are some who serve our country because they are proud to serve, even though the pay may suck.

[Optimist Prime]

I've never agreed with him before I don't think. But he's right. That's wrong.