Civics 101 - Compensation

Take a look at the packages your leaders in Washington are getting.

House and Senate rank-and-file members earn $174,000.
House and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders earn $193,400.
The Speaker of the House, a.k.a Nancy-the-Terrible, earns $223,500.

Additionally, the Social Security Amendments of 1983 required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security beginning January 1, 1984. As Social Security and CSRS benefits (the old civil service pension) sometimes overlapped, Congress called for the development of a new federal employee retirement program to complement Social Security. This new plan was enacted as the Federal Employees' Retirement Act of 1986. This act created the FERS program, under which new Members of Congress are currently covered and older members could elect to join.

Here's the core of it:

A full pension is available to Members 62 years of age with 5 years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of service at any age.

Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

The pension amount is determined by a formula that takes into account the years served and the average pay for the top three years in terms of payment. Based on 2002 data from the Congressional Research Service, the average pension payment ranged from $41,000 to $55,000. For example, a Congressman who worked for 22 years and had a top three-year average salary of $153,900 would be eligible for a pension payment of $84,645 per year. (By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.)

And, by the way, a cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it.
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How stupid are we?

I was just pondering our situation in America under our present regime. If not for the tragedy, it would almost be funny....

A half gallon of ice cream now has 1.5 quarts. But that’s okay. The price didn’t go up. Skipping a few desserts will probably help us drop a few pounds.
How stupid are we?

A pound of coffee now has 11 ounces. But that’s okay. The price didn’t go up. A few less cups of coffee will probably help us sleep better.
How stupid are we?

There aren’t enough jobs for everyone. But that’s okay. Prices didn’t go up. The government can raise taxes and hire the jobless to answer phones at the Unemployment Office.
How stupid are we?

Our standard of living is deteriorating. But that’s okay. The government will pass Cap and Trade to help us raise the prices of electricity, water, gasoline, heating fuel and natural gas.
How stupid are we?
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The America I Love

I wrote The America I Love this morning to express the resentment I feel as politicians presume to know more than we know about what we want and need. This is a protest and a call to take back our great country.

The America I Love

Don’t tell me to shut my mouth
To stop from being heard
Don’t tell me that you know best
And tell me I’m absurd

Don’t tell me what I can do
And what I’m not allowed
Don’t tell me my gatherings
Are terrifying crowds

Don’t tell me to trust you
To take care of my needs
Then proceed to sell me out
With all your thoughtless deeds

Don’t tell me I’ll be all right
If I take your direction
‘Cause you don’t care for anything
Beyond your re-election

Give me back my country
Give me back my space
Give me back control because
America’s my place

My place to live in freedom
My place to make my stand
My place to say what’s on my mind
My place to own some land

My place that welcomes new ideas
My place to earn a buck
My place where folks lend helping hands
To folks down on their luck

My place to take a risk or two
My place to speak my view
My place where rule of law exists
My place where dreams come true

My place to hold my head up high
Where so much is allowed
America above all else
My place to feel so proud

Steven Pein
1 April 2010
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A Very Lucky Pop-Pop

When I was getting ready to move back to San Diego after my bitter divorce, I was upset about the prospect of not seeing my step-grandchildren again. I wrote A Very Lucky Pop-Pop for the four of them; Donald, Brandon, Tyler, and Jessica. Sadly, we haven't had contact since, but I keep hoping they'll eventually seek me out.

A Very Lucky Pop-Pop

I’m a very lucky Pop-Pop
And I know it’s really true
And I thank God for giving me
Four grandkids such as you

I’ll be living far from you
And I am sad to say
It means that I can’t have my wish
To see you every day

But you can come and visit me
When your folks say you can
And just the thought of seeing you
Makes me a happy man

There’s e-mail, phones and chat rooms
That can keep us all together
And please know that I’m there for you
And I’ll be there forever

The hardest part of moving
For me it’s sad but true
Is I’ll be on the west coast
And not right there with you

If you’re feeling lonely
Or problems make you blue
Please just stop and call me
And I’ll be there for you

Pop-Pop loves you always
And know as I depart
I will carry thoughts of you
Forever in my heart

Pop-Pop Pein
28 July 2004
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Pithy

I am now officially a renowned poet whose work has been read on the air by Bill O'Reilly, and heard by millions. It has been my goal to get one of my poems posted at the end of The O'Reilly Factor and be awarded a signed copy of Bold Fresh, Bill O'Reilly's new book. Well tonight I am famous. Bill O'Reilly posted and read my poem Pithy at the end of the show and announced I will be receiving a signed copy of Bold Fresh. I wrote Pithy on March 4, and it was posted at the end of the show on March 30. Folks, with no further ado, I proudly present the award winning, epic poem.

Pithy

The Factor keeps me in the know,
Helping my knowledge to grow,
When facts need exploring,
Bill’s never too boring,
His pithiness pleases me so.

Steven Pein
4 March 2010
Broadcast world-wide 30 March 2010 on The O'Reilly Factor
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Expendable

I wrote Expendable in January 1968, about seven months before I got out of the Army. It expressed the growing civilian and military discontent over the war in Vietnam.

Expendable

The Captain took his band of men
And led them to the fray
The men all prayed that they could live
To see another day

This day would prove to be the last
For half a dozen boys
Expendable and wasted lives
Like worthless little toys

It started with a single shot
From where they could not say
The Sergeant dropped and breathed his last
The first to die this day

The young Lieutenant grabbed the Sarge
He looked about to cry
But rifle fire stopped his tears
He was the next to die

The Captain ordered “open fire”
Their rifles sounded loud
Four more would die, the jungle brush
Was soon to be their shroud

They give their lives so willingly
As heroes they all die
They sacrifice their precious lives
Yet most do not know why

It’s someone else’s war out there
Yet we’re the ones who fight
I ask you if you think it’s just
Can such a thing be right

The politicians push the war
But soon they’ll be the ones
Who scream and cry “please stop the fight
We’ve lost our precious sons”


Steven Pein
6 January 1968
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A Salute to the Army

I kept a countdown calendar when I was in the Army, as did many of the guys. As your number of remaining days dwindled down, you were ultimately considered "short". I had less than 90 days remaining when I wrote A Salute to the Army, and it expresses just how much I loved it all.


A Salute to the Army

Pressure’s building up inside
My time is drawing near
I count the days ‘til I complete
This third and final year

I’m looking back remembering
The suffering and pain
The leaders so incompetent
And half the time insane

I think back to the NCOs
So ignorant and lazy
Selected trash from broken homes
And each a little crazy

And think about the officers
Whose job it is to lead
An adolescent clan of kids
A motley bunch indeed

They scream and shout the whole day through
That nothing’s getting done
Harassment is their only job
And only source of fun

To sum it up I’ll simply state
Civilian life is swell
Those lifer dudes and black-striped kids
Can all go straight to Hell

But one thing that the Army does
I must admit is clever
Without so much as trying
They make three years last forever


Steven Pein
16 May 1968
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