Need Help Debunking An Email

[orleans]

i just got an email talking about congress "AND THEY JUST VOTED THEMSELVES $15,000 PER MONTH PENSION FOR LIFE AFTER SERVING ONLY ONE TERM IN CONGRESS!"

so...those bad dems running congress, eh?

well, apparently (i googled) rush limbaugh said this and a freeper quoted him on 8/21/03. i found another website quoting him in 2002. and another one quoting this in april 2007.

can someone help me clarify what this bill was, and who was running the show (i'm assuming it was the republikas who did this) so i can forward on the truth about this shit.

thanks for your help.

[The Straight Story]

1. Would it matter, the prez still has to sign it - and who was prez at that time

:)

[walldude]

4. Beat me to it..

Tell em' to bitch to the CIC... and tell em' to hurry because they are running out of time :rofl:

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. .

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp

[orleans]

6. thank you. n/t

[Juche]

3. Not true

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Member's of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a Congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.

http://www.factcheck.org/specialreports/what_to_do_when_your_friends_e-mail.html

[orleans]

5. thanks for the links. purrfect. n/t