Where will we draw the line?
When will we say enough??
What will finally provoke spontaneous direction action???
looks like that could truly be it...
Posted on 05/04/2010 7:43:39 AM PDT by ConjunctionJunction
In February, the White House released its “Annual Report on the Middle Class” containing new regulations favored by Big Labor including a bailout of critically underfunded union pension plans through “retirement security” options.
The radical solution most favored by Big Labor is the seizure of private 401(k) plans for government disbursement -- which lets them off the hook for their collapsing retirement scheme. And, of course, the Obama administration is eager to accommodate their buddies.
Vice President Joe Biden floated the idea, called “Guaranteed Retirement Accounts” (GRAs), in the February “Middle Class” report.
In conjunction with the report’s release, the Obama administration jointly issued through the Departments of Labor and Treasury a “Request for Information” regarding the “annuitization” of 401(k) plans through “Lifetime Income Options” in the form of a notice to the public of proposed issuance of rules and regulations. (pdf)
House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) and a group of House Republicans are mounting an effort to fight back.
The American people have become painfully aware over the past year that elections sometimes have calamitous consequences. Republicans lack the votes (for now) to reign in the Obama administration’s myriad nationalization plans for everything from health care to the automobile industry.
Now the backdoor bulls-eye is on your 401(k) plan and the trillions of dollars the government would control through seizure, regulation and federal disbursement of mandatory retirement accounts.
Boehner and the group are sounding the alarm, warning bureaucrats to keep their hands off of America’s private retirement plans.
Just when you thought it was safe to come up for air after the government takeover of health care.
The entirety of the House GOP Savings Recovery Group letter outling the issue that was sent last night to the Labor and Treasury secretaries:
The Honorable Hilda L. Solis Secretary U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210
The Honorable Timothy Geithner Secretary U.S. Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210
Dear Secretaries Solis and Geithner:
As members of the Republican Savings Solutions Group, we write today to express our strong opposition to any proposal to eliminate or federalize private-sector defined contribution pension plans, such as 401(k)s, or impose burdensome new requirements upon the businesses, large and small, who choose to offer these plans to their employees.
In the Annual Report of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class, Vice President Biden discussed at length the creation of so-called “Guaranteed Retirement Accounts, (GRAs)” which would provide for protection from “inflation and market risk” and potentially “guarantee a specified real return above the rate of inflation” -- presumably at taxpayer expense. In the Report, the Vice President recommended “further study of these issues.”
The Vice President’s comments are troubling, insofar as they come on the heels of testimony before Congress from supporters of GRAs proposing to eliminate the favorable tax treatment currently afforded to 401(k) plans, and instead use those dollars to fund government-invested GRAs into which all employees would be required to contribute a portion of their salary -- again, with a government subsidy. These advocates would, essentially, dismantle the present private-sector 401(k) system, replacing it instead with a government-run investment plan, the size and scope of which remain to be seen. This despite data showing that 90 percent of households have a favorable opinion of the existing 401(k)/IRA system.
In light of these facts, we write today to express our opposition in the strongest terms to any effort to “nationalize” the private 401(k) system, or any proposal that would dismantle or disfavor the private 401(k) system in favor of a government-run retirement security regime.
Similarly, and more recently, the Departments of Labor and Treasury have jointly issued a “Request for Information” regarding the “annuitization” of 401(k) plans through “Lifetime Income Options.” While we appreciate the Departments’ seeking guidance and information from all parties and stakeholders in advance of regulatory activity, we strongly urge that the Departments not proceed with any regulation in this area before they have carefully and thoroughly considered all of the information received.
More specifically, we urge that the Departments take no action to mandate that plan sponsors -- often, small businesses -- include a “lifetime income” or “annuitization” option if they choose to offer a 401(k) plan to their employees, or that beneficiaries take some or all of their retirement savings in such an option. Data shows that 70 percent of Americans oppose the concept of a mandated annuity or government payout of their 401(k) plan. On a more fundamental level, Congress should not be in the business of choosing “winners” and “losers” among retirement security stakeholders. Instead, we urge the Departments to make it easier for employers to include retirement income solutions in their savings plans and to help workers learn more about the value of their retirement savings as a source of retirement income. Finally, to the extent new mandates and bureaucratic red tape from Washington push small employers out of the business of offering these plans to their employees, we would submit such an effort weakens, rather than strengthens retirement security.
We appreciate your consideration of our views in these important matters and stand ready to work with you and the Administration to promote secure and adequate retirement savings for all Americans.
Sincerely,
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) Rep. John Kline (R-MN) Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA)
He has the best and most realistic survival book on the market.
Great book FerFAL. I’ve been recommending it here ever since I finished reading it.
You first published the book in 2009 and you could see some bad trends developing in the US then, not the least of which was Obama’s star rising. What are thinking about what’s happening in the states now? Are you seeing a lot of parallels to what happened in Argentina?
(Love what you said about an armed citizenry.)
Stealing the 401k is a “second amendment” moment.
Just that one tip about buying gold chain link necklaces instead of other forms of gold is worth the price of the book. I totally agree with your assessment. He has a nice way of expressing himself and an enjoyable sense of humor, too. The latter was evident in the way he talked about self defense. Some of his comments really cracked me up. Do you know him?
Sure it is. Every politician with a D after their name is a progressive and those few who are not consort with progressives. Decorate liberty trees with as many of them as you can get your hands on.
This will solve the problem for approximately 200 years. then our great grand children will have to do it again.
looks like that could truly be it...
If they were stupid enough to try it.
unfortunately i put nothing past the RATS... and stooopid enough i think they are
You are correct. lots of big mouthed jackasses on this thread. these windbags aint gonna do shit and they know it.
I've never had a 401K never trusted the setup. Many of my friends laughed at me (Yet my investments far outpaced their 401ks.) Now they are calling me, worried they will get their 401ks taken, I told 'em eventually they will get "Something" back. Maybe an I.O.U. Welcome to the Obamanation!
I did long ago....and have never looked back.
I've heard that one before but each time we slip further down that slippery slope all I hear is a bit of mumbling and then they change the channel to watch "wife swap"...
The worst opponent one can deal with is a man who has nothing to lose.
(But I doubt disabled vets make up 1% of the population.)
But we will make up close to 50% of those that march on Washington.
Alright you bahstids! Let the evil party try this one. Because the 401k is not party specific, the outcry will not be party specific (imagine going from 3/4 millionare to 1/4 millionare to practically penniless). We have about X million baby-boomers ready to retire (trying to time it right-are you observing the demographics?) and Y amount of boomers watching/anticipating their time, the equation is ripe for total rejection!
One side of me hopes that this looting does not happen. The other side wishes the boomers finally get the bill that is owed- for all their years of voting DEMOCRAT.
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Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
Big deal...Ya got about 25 *million* people that have lost their careers, homes, jobs, businesses, assets and retirements, all caused by corrupt government, and their insider bankster buddies..
I don’t understand the pay down your mortgage theory.
In my view, we are going to have massive inflation, and banks are willing to lend me money @ 5% fixed for 30 yrs.
Are you expecting the govt to force these loans into variable rate?
You sound like my husband and it worries me. I hope you aren’t right, but you might be.
“I am sure if asked all of them would prefer to pay taxes to their current travails. “
You would be wrong. It is pretty clear, regardless of sentimentality, most who stop paying will fight to continue not to pay — it is one part human nature and one part the way the system is set up — FedGov sets up snares to keep people (no matter how well intentioned) from biting the bullet.
And I don’t mean this personally, but your appeal to sentimentality, which I see all of the time, reveals an attitude of entitlement (and its corollary = at the expense of others).
Unfortunately, the only way to trump the anger of righteous indignation (from telling the truth, in this case), is to actually threaten taking away some of the sweet bennies you receive, PAID FOR BY OTHERS.
Thank you for your service.
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