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)
I guess they want a war, then.
We are a free people, and have been pushed, prodded and abused. This is tyranny. If you choose this path, prepare for incarceration, for we will sieze your Ponzi-scheming asses and put you away for life.
People were warned - government strings are attached to the tax deferral, so the government considers those accounts their property until all taxes due are paid.
They have been planning this for a generation - as a last resort, perhaps, but last resort time has arrived.
If the govt attempts to seize 401’s,it will be the call to Arms, the left cannot bear.
As a baby boomer putting off retirement, I absolutely agree.
P.S. This is a really good campaign issue for the Republicans to take up.
It all comes back to that, doesn’t it?
“If they implement X policy, we’ll take up arms.”
Guess they’ll have to take away that choice before they do anything else.
I did not know she was a FReeper!
Uh that was actually 45% and 43% of white seniors. Don't blame this on the seniors.
I never trusted 401k’s nor the government’s promises concerning 401ks and everyone thought I was nutz....
The government has always been and always be, run by corrupt people.
She was also my shopping buddy.
Agreed. Any option that forces me to annuitize part or all of my 401k is EVIL, and it is theft against my daughter’s eventual inheritance. (My understanding is that the gov’t will keep whatever’s left when you die.) Remember the old joke about being buried face-down?
Once again, the lib-f#cks want to punish me for being responsible, and give more of my hard-earned savings to scumbags who do nothing for themselves.
This will be the one that causes deaths. Even people who voted for Obama have their life savings in their 401k’s.
!
Not that there's been a shortage of such issues...
The Dems have been trying to do this for a while, now that they have a supermajority and a president, they may actually do it.
Please read the article below for more details, it will curl your hair:
Democratic leaders in the U.S. House discuss confiscating 401(k)s, IRAs
Nov 4, 2008
http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/dems-target-private-retirement-accounts.html
The testimony of Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis at the New School for Social Research in New York, in hearings Oct. 7 drew the most attention and criticism. Testifying for the House Committee on Education and Labor, Ghilarducci proposed that the government eliminate tax breaks for 401(k) and similar retirement accounts, such as IRAs, and confiscate workers’ retirement plan accounts and convert them to universal Guaranteed Retirement Accounts (GRAs) managed by the Social Security Administration.
Ghilarducci’s plan first appeared in a paper for the Economic Policy Institute: Agenda for Shared Prosperity on Nov. 20, 2007, in which she said GRAs will rescue the flawed American retirement income system
http:// www.sharedprosperity.org/bp204/bp204.pdf
I see the Alinsky push by the White House to demonize 401Ks, complete with sob stories and Obama condemning the billions lost by “ordinary folks from inflation and market risk”.
Nothing personal to anyone here, but a lot of folks who think they will fight with arms against seizure, will only be standing there asking nicely, “Please may I have my money.” And if they get 2 cents on the dollar they will still say please for another cent.
It’s just not that easy to pick an appropriate target.
They won’t do it. There would be a national outcry.
And one in Orlando the following weekend!
Bttt
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