[Poundstone]

Our benefits aren’t the “most cushy” by a long shot. They’re pretty much in the middle of the traditional pension system. Granted, traditional pensions are disappearing in the private sector, but that’s the private sector’s fault.

[Siena Dreaming]

Actually, the tax burden on the private sector is likely what has contributed to the decrease in retirement benefits there i.e. the number of public employees hired has cost workers in the private sector.

Also, the ballooning health costs employers are paying has disincentivized them from offering benefits in other areas like retirement.

[gramho12]

It's the "private sector's fault" since they realized that a defined benefit pension system was unsustainable due to the fact of people living longer, among a lot of other factors. Too bad the public pension plans have not realized the same thing, but rely on the deep pockets of the American people. Those in the private sector have to fund their own pension plus those in the public sector as well.

I am not against public employees, but there are just too many unnecessary public funded bureaucrats that are now eating up profits and driving us into debt.

[RightLady]

No, most of the cuts are a result of federal regulations and all the MANDATORY Social Security taxes we pay. The gov’t then, thanks to LBJ, uses our retirement money to help finance all your and other fed employees’ salaries. These salaries enable you
and other paper pushers to put money into your own retirement funds. It’s ironic that Soc. Sec. workers run a system that they are never a part of.

[dennisw]

 

Our benefits aren’t the “most cushy” by a long shot. They’re pretty much in the middle of the traditional pension system. Granted, traditional pensions are disappearing in the private sector, but that’s the private sector’s fault.

No it is your fault and the fault of other liberal Federal employees for sucking the lifeblood out of the private sector via onerous taxation and onerous regulation such as by the EPA. You are parasites, the Federal workforce could easily be cut in half and no one would notice. These days the Federal workforce is heavily tilted towards affirmative action hires of blacks, minorities, gays, women, handicapped who are incompetent boobs. This is why the Federal Gov't is so FUBARed. I'll bet it is near impossible for a conservative to get a job at many Federal agencies

Funny how Obama has increased the Federal workforce by 250,000 while private sector employment decreases. If Obama-Care is kept we will have a huge jump in Federal employment of drones and AA hires to administer that boondoggle. Simultaneously private sector medical insurance companies will close and fire employees because the Federal vampires have taken those jobs and made them into Gov't jobs. Like I said.....The Federal Gov't is a vast jobs program (The EPA and Department of Education are fine examples)  for otherwise unemployable liberals and is devoted to sucking the lifeblood out of the private sector

[traditional1]

"traditional pensions are disappearing in the private sector, but that’s the private sector’s fault"

Many of the failures in private sector pensions/businesses are DUE TO THE OVER-WHELMING Taxes paid to fund Federal, State, City, and Local "public" employees, and their golden Heatthcare and Retirement benefits, for little productive work.

[chrisser]

Granted, traditional pensions are disappearing in the private sector

Disappearing?

I'm 45. I've probably worked for 12 private companies and interviewed at dozens more over my career. None had a pension plan.

Pensions are the near-exlusive domain of the public sector, and it's been that way for decades.

[narses]

... traditional pensions are disappearing in the private sector, but that’s the private sector’s fault.

Bzzzt, nope. It is the fault of Congress. The Federal Government. You know, the folks who gave you your cushy pension.

[King Moonracer]

traditional pensions are disappearing

traditional pensions are mostly gone and only if you are over 50.