patrick.net

evilmonkeyboy says

Also, being a teacher requires 5 years of education. Most teachers could make more money in the private sector especially math and science teachers.

Cops and Firefighters put their lives on the line.

And the cops and prison guards use their pay to buy lobbyists who work to keep anti-marijuana laws on the books. More lawbreakers, more work.

Its just easier to point the finger when you are a bitter miserable paper pusher who contributed nothing of real worth to society, and doesnt have the nerve to make the changes they need to actually enjoy their life instead of slaving over a desk at a meaningless job. And you don't need good facts to point the finger, just need the old "my friend told me that..."

woppa says

Its just easier to point the finger when you are a bitter miserable paper pusher who contributed nothing of real worth to society, and doesnt have the nerve to make the changes they need to actually enjoy their life instead of slaving over a desk at a meaningless job. And you don't need good facts to point the finger, just need the old "my friend told me that..."

What's your point?

Marcus, I said I was a little bit bitter not envious... From the tone of your posts... I do feel sorry for you... At least I truly enjoy my work and get paid well for it. I feel sorry that although I probably haven't accumulated as much knowledge as you did, the market has paid much more for my IQ and problem solving skills. I just hope that at least you are a good teacher and not one of those bad teachers in the documentary "Waiting for Superman" who can't be fired because of tenure gained thru the wonderful Teachers Union.

In truth, I am worried for the students you teach... Because you are definitely not the type of role model I'd want for my kids... Attacking me with such hostility when i just want to let people know there is such a problem with the pension system.

I don't have much issues with pension as it was intended in concept (even though many cities are now having to cut back pension benefits due to it being unsustainable). It's the fact that a policeman who normally makes 70 or 80K, can retire at age 45, making more money than he averaged before, because he gamed the system last couple of years directing neighborhood traffic around street construction... This just doesnt seem right. Maybe thats part of the reason for the pension being unsustainable...

Do they have some similar loophole for the teacher pension?

True indeed says

It's the fact that a policeman who normally makes 70 or 80K, can retire at age 45, making more money than he averaged before, because he gamed the system last couple of years directing neighborhood traffic around street construction... This just doesnt seem right. Maybe thats part of the reason for the pension being unsustainable...

I don't see that it's hostility that I have problems with this kind of statement. It's an exaggeration, intended to sell anti union, anti government worker propaganda to others. Even if it were true in a 1 in 100 instance of wrong behavior,...okay address that, rather than generalizing.

You can't see that, and yet you claim to have a hgih IQ. That's fine, but since I'm sure you would agree that there isn't any communication going on here I'm done.

But first: pension spiking does not happen with teachers, but it occasionally happens with well connected administrators, and it isn't something I approve of.

True indeed says

ant to let people know there is such a problem with the pension system.

True indeed says

Maybe thats part of the reason for the pension being unsustainable...

One other thing, not that it will fit in well with your right wing dogma.

The pension abuses need to be addressed, but they are a relatively small art of the problem (that do make govt workers the perceived bad guy). Also some municipalities have done some pretty crazy things with pensions.

In most cases here is what has lead to pension problems. A combination of the following factors

1) The stock market returns of the 18 year from 1982 - 2000 were absurdly high. Unfortunately human nature is such that people think these things will continue (see housing bubble). This lead to pension funds doing better than expected, and to state neglecting some of their obligations. "hey the fund is fine, we can skip this years contributions. IT also lead to negotiations of employee contributions being low relative to defined benefits.

2) Later (after 2000) California has not met all of it's obligations. That is they skipped more matching contributions to teachers pensions.

3) PRojected returns in pension funds are still unrealistically high, so when lower projections are made, so called "unfunded liabilities" are projected. (note these are projections that things must change to fund the pensions better, they are not current expenses. If it is said that a pension is so severely undefunded that it is only solvent until 2040, this implies time to change employee/employer contributions and so on.)

These changes will occur, but California is pretty messed up in terms of it's ability to solve such problems.

marcus says

These changes will occur, but California is pretty messed up in terms of it's ability to solve such problems.

yep! the three above are spot on! worst yet, they have since 2000 gambled such prior returns from stock and housing market will return even today.

They havent sobered up! They need to be fired and sent to rehab...

The cost of pensions and retirement would go WAY down if we had a health care system that worked. A big chunk of pension costs are for health care.

1sfrenter says

The cost of pensions and retirement would go WAY down if we had a health care system that worked. A big chunk of pension costs are for health care.

what eventually happens is they send their patients to lower cost countries.. like Latin America, Thailand and India. And many are US trained doctors.. go figure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism

In First World countries like the United States medical tourism has large growth prospects and potentially destabilizing implications. A forecast by Deloitte Consulting published in August 2008 projected that medical tourism originating in the US could jump by a factor of ten over the next decade. An estimated 750,000 Americans went abroad for health care in 2007, and the report estimated that a million and a half would seek health care outside the US in 2008. The growth in medical tourism has the potential to cost US health care providers billions of dollars in lost revenue.

Good article, certainly sums up what most of us known and felt for a long time. People aren't blind, they can see all the pension padding tactics government allows, they can see how these unions are showered with money.

It's how you know someone is going to retire soon, they start working overtime, padding their pension benefits.

Breaking News! Hannity is about to be water boarded on FOX. LMAO