83 retired postal worker sends the federal government $50 a month to pay down deficit.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/...e-debt.cnn

I wish this was more than a video..

Quote : One retired postal worker sends the federal government $50 a month.

this 83 year old man has been collecting cans since 1992 when he first got fed up with government spending. He wrote his congressman and started collecting cans and sending $50 a month to the government to pay down the deficit.

I'm sitting here thinking what a smack in the face it is that a person can sacrifice a decent % of their living money to pay down the deficit. Yet the government has trouble cutting 1% total spending (actually any spending whatsoever). So far he's paid a little over $3k.

It's sad when a very elderly man has more sense than all the politicians.

I have a feeling this is $50 more than 95% of the politicians on Capital Hill.

I certainly don't contribute to the Treasury Dept even though I know where to find the mailing address on Treasury.gov.

You'd think that with all their bluster, tools like Alex Baldwin, Warren Buffett, et al would voluntarily pony up and contribute. Instead, they shelter their dough from taxes while damning the rest of us.

Would be nice to know when he retired and what his benefits are.

Quote from SigX : Would be nice to know when he retired and what his benefits are.

Rule #1 of Gov't Spending:

Gov't Spending on Me: A sound and necessary government activity.

Gov't Spending on Everyone Else: Waste, fraud, and abuse.

Quote from gunnerusa : Rule #1 of Gov't Spending: Gov't Spending on Me: A sound and necessary government activity. Gov't Spending on Everyone Else: Waste, fraud, and abuse.

Noooooo....

Govt spending on useful things and people who pay taxes: good.

Govt spending on useless things and people who mooch off the system: bad.

Quote from gunnerusa : Rule #1 of Gov't Spending: Gov't Spending on Me: A sound and necessary government activity. Gov't Spending on Everyone Else: Waste, fraud, and abuse.

i respectfully disagree. this guy seems like a good person just trying to help out, but, i suspect, like many from his generation, he retired much earlier and recieved far better benefits than my generation can dream of. not saying he did not work hard or "earn it", just stating that IMHO, retirement options for each generation will likely get far worse as time goes on.

Quote from SigX : i respectfully disagree. this guy seems like a good person just trying to help out, but, i suspect, like many from his generation, he retired much earlier and recieved far better benefits than my generation can dream of. not saying he did not work hard or "earn it", just stating that IMHO, retirement options for each generation will likely get far worse as time goes on.

That may be true, but I wouldnt really blame people for taking the pensions that were offered to them while they were working. The problem is that the govt and companies made long term pension projections based on current outlooks, and ever since they're been revising their projections constantly.

Quote from MISHNAH : That may be true, but I wouldnt really blame people for taking the pensions that were offered to them while they were working. The problem is that the govt and companies made long term pension projections based on current outlooks, and ever since they're been revising their projections constantly.

I am not certain that what you are saying is the entire truth (you are correct but missing some improtant points IMHO). generally, (not specific to this one man) the generation of pensions (which are now largely gone for most new members of the work force) only partially funded their own pensions (including medicare and SS as prime examples). they gambled on the growth numbers of the time, and were wrong... of course they have no plans to foot the bill for these mistakes.... no, that is for the following generations to do. And this is the same generation that got these cush jobs via rampant racism and disrimination... once again, of course, the following generations are left to clean up the mess.

Quote from MISHNAH : That may be true, but I wouldnt really blame people for taking the pensions that were offered to them while they were working. The problem is that the govt and companies made long term pension projections based on current outlooks, and ever since they're been revising their projections constantly.

Wow! They've been revising their projections, eh? LOL! So what?

What's not happened, particularly in public sector defined benefit programs, is altered the employer contribution to ensure that these program funds were fully funded.

Public sector plans continue to use rosy 6-8% growth numbers to determine the employer contribution level.

In addition to the student loan bubble, there's a massive defined benefit program bubble that's going to burst. And keep in mind that, again, taxpayers will be on the hook as we insure these plans.