President Bush called on American businesses on Monday to live up to their pension promises, saying too many companies are not putting away enough money to protect the retirement benefits of their workers.
"My message to corporate America is you need to fulfill your promises," Bush said. "When you say to a worker, `This is what they're going get when they retire,' you better put enough money in the account to make sure the worker gets that what you said."
In a speech on the economy, the president said federal rules governing pensions are confusing and misleading and allow companies to technically play by the rules without funding the promises they make. In the end, taxpayers wind up footing the bill because of federal pension insurance, he said.
"So Congress needs to straighten up these rules," Bush said. Members of his economic team said pension-reform legislation moving through Congress is not tough enough. "And I'm not going to sign a bill that weakens pension funding for the American workers," Bush said.
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Well, good on Mr. Bush.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Of course, shoring up the GOPs chances by showing that they 'care' about the common worker that may retire from some job. This little thing will be touted at election time showing just that fact....
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Of course he wants people to have better pensions from their employers. Then he can get rid of Social Security.
Something good about Mr. Bush : Someday, he'll be dead.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
It's also coming from someone that's given enough tax breaks to big business to have actually paid for those pensions several times over....
You'd think he could have just made one dependant on the other.
On the other tenticle, Bush's administration has silently (and sometimes apporvingly) by while record numbers of jobs are outsourced, unemployment has risen and the deficit is at an all time high.
In other words, he'll say anything between now and mid-term elections to keep majority power with his party.
Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :
What I'm saying is that at the very least he finally used his office to speak to corporations and in favor of workers.
Yeah, being cynical it might just be a political maneuver, but at the very least it's something.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...being cynical it might just be a political maneuver..."
Being not-delusional, it unquestionably is a political maneuver.
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Are you sure your non-delusional powers are intact? After all, you DID actually agree with me on a minor topic a couple weeks ago. I thought for sure that would throw you into some Giskardian freeze-up.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
It did, but it only lasted a week.
He can say anything he wants, but, how many people did he tell that is didn't mean a thing before hand, those people being the large living CEOs and their boards?
If he continues this after he leaves office I may be far more apt to believe that he cares for us wee little folk.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Ha! Every President becomes "for the little people" after they leave office!
I mean fuck, what else are they gonna do with themselves? They all write a book, open a library, raise money for their party and then get very bored...
Bush Sr. and Clinton are now golfing buddies- that's a biiig leap from the accuzations and slurs they threw back and forth when running against each other. Dont be suprised to see Bush Jr in that little clique by decade's end.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
He could be the caddy!
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Or the ball waxer. And Yes, there is more than one meaning to that Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Or get a job in a hotel polishing knobs?
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Or a job in the city painting poles? or in a chocolate factory packing fudge, or a pickle factory or a sausage factory... There's lots of things old presidents can do to benefit humanity.
In all seriousness tho. It's nice to see him actually doing something other than talking about how well his war is going.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Yes, talking about the pensions will take the minds of several thousand people from the loss of their loved one, or the others that are now taking care of a maimed loved one.....
Now, don't get me wrong, it isn't that I do not like Bush inparticular, but all politicians....
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Politician comes from two root words; "Poly" meaning "many" and "Ticks" meaning "bloodsucking leaches".
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I really think "politics" is the word you were looking for there...
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
But, hey- House members have a sweet- guaranteed - pension plan, so why worry about it, right?
quote:The bill would have tightened rules to stop companies from underfunding their plans -- a shortfall currently estimated at $450 billion -- while raising the premiums that companies must pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
The PBGC, which operates on those premiums, recently estimated that it is in deficit by about $22 billion.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
$22 Billion shouldn't be a problem to deal with, just shift it from the billions spent on Iraq and move on.
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
Or from the billions spent on homeland defense, the terrorists wouldn't expect and thats when you strike!
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Ah, now you reminded my about the deal in Springfield, IL, spending a measily $30,000.00 on video equipment to catch people urinating in an alley. Compliments of Homeland Security.
Never now when a suicide bomber is gonna blow up a guy pissing in an alley.....
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
thats pretty dumb, i mean, when nature calls you HAVE to answer, and it's not like many cities have washrooms on every corner. At least people are being considerate when the go in an alley for thier business and not behind the tree on someones lawn.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...and it's not like many cities have washrooms on every corner."
In the US, anyway.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
In Canada, also.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Fuck people and their need to excrete! Plus- bums! No job- NO BATHROOM!
They should have taken that $30,000 and bought pitch- then dipped all those bums in it and lit them afire as human torches- just like in the good 'ol days of Nero's Rome!
Man, Nero was a great leader- always torching the Christians and all...BWHAHAHAHA!!!
This is my "Bah Humbug!" anti-*holiday incoherent ramble to everyone.
*"holiday" refers to all seasonal holidays- including Christmas.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
What is sad is that it made sense....
Only those bums are working class people that have just invested in capitalism by utilizing a free enterprise drinking establishment to keep the US economy from floundering too quickly.
Otherwise I agree with your Bah Humbug!!!!!!
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
Edit: Meh, I'll make it proper instead.
[ December 10, 2005, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Nim ]
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ritten: What is sad is that it made sense....
Excellent- my mind-control plan is working perfectly...
quote:Only those bums are working class people that have just invested in capitalism by utilizing a free enterprise drinking establishment to keep the US economy from floundering too quickly.
Hmmm...prahaps they should just charge a fee for "using the alley." They could just string up a curtain to bypass that whole "public indecentcy" law.
....though I prefer the "human torch" soution. "Flame on" indeed. Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
This is just like the most recent Real World special.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Please tell me they lit them on fire!
I might actually have areason to watch MTV then.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
It's certainly not for the music.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
There's music on MTV?
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
I know there used to be, but that was back in the 80's.
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