Monday, December 31, 2012

Link the Bump Ups

One of the budgetary cost cutting/deficit reducing measures that supposedly is being considered in the political fiscal cliff avoiding charade being staged by the mental midgets who make up our Congress is how to limit future Social Security cost-of-living-based retirement benefit increases.

The solution is simple, obvious and would result in savings beyond anything that could be achieved by applying it only to Social Security retirement benefit recipients.

Step One: Every December determine the percentage increase in living costs during the 12 months that ended on the immediately preceding September 30.

Step Two:  Apply that percentage to increase the benefits to be paid to Social Security retirement benefits in the ensuing calendar year.

Step Three:  Apply the same percentage limit to pay increases to all government employees -- members of Congress, all Legislative, Executive and Judicial branch employees, and all of those who 'work' for the multitude of administrative agencies that the government has spawned.

On second thought, pay increases for members of Congress should be limited to half of what would be called for by application of the above-described formula.

To be truly fair, this solution should be applied retroactively . . . going back to the last year that the nation had a balanced budget.  Compel the Capitol Hill clowns to cough up the unearned largesse -- the aggregate amount of all pay increases in excess of the percentages by which Social Security retirement benefits rose -- that they have heaped upon themselves while failing to discharge their responsibilities.

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