Who really cares about needy people?

The stereotype is as well-established as can be any bigoted misrepresentation of an entire class of people: Conservatives don’t care about poor people.

To be sure, I have had my struggles on this topic. I see that my life is quite blessed; I see need in my community; and, my wife and I frequently wrestle with how much of our income to donate to needy people. But, donate we do, to the tune of 10% or more (of our gross, if you must know). We’ve done that consistently for the 18 years of our marriage (give or take a couple months during two extended periods of unemployment).

It is beyond insulting to hear the Left preach about MY hate and contempt for the Poor. In fact, in light of some recent revelations about public employee benefits, I find it laughable that the Left still has the gall to throw rocks at my perceived callousness. Allow me to explain.

Let’s pick on a retiring Milwaukee County employee. He made the news a month ago, as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel highlighted his retirement decision and plans. (http://www.jsonline.mobi/newswatch/123955564.htm)

To recap the details: The man worked for Milwaukee County for 30 years as a snowplow driver, and as a building and grounds maintenance dude. An honorable career. From all appearances, he was good at his job. In the face of significant changes being pressed by Gov. Walker and the Republican legislature, he decided to retire. It was “sooner than he wanted”. But, he felt it was necessary to lock in on the goods before the mean ol’ Republicans started raiding state pensions.

Although I grow weary of the hyperventilating over-reactions from the Left regarding just how far Hosni Walker will go to attack the working class (*sigh*), my biggest problem comes in the details of this government worker's retirement package. In short, this man will make $54,000 every year, for the rest of his life. He is now 56 years old.

Read that again, if you must: 56 years old, and he will make $54K a year for the rest of his life… without having to put in one more day of work for the county. And, that doesn’t include the reduced-cost, Cadillac health-care package afforded most government employees. Should he live another 30 years, this retirement payout alone will cost the taxpayers of Milwaukee county over $1.6 million! FOR ONE MAN… WHO IS NOT NEEDY by ANY stretch of the imagination!

(Before I proceed, let it be formally disclaimed: I bear no grudge against this individual. I will not mention him by name here. He did nothing wrong. He is just a very fortunate man, who was in the right place, at the right time. Now, he is set up like a prince (by the world’s standard). So, good on him. My aggression is directed at the institution that has enable this travesty.)

(Second disclaimer: In fact, when this employee opted for retirement, he was presented with, and actually accepted, a second option for how to receive his benefits. This other option was a “buy-out” option. Up front, he took a large chunk of money, [in excess of $300,000] which reduced his annual income into the $20K’s. But, rest assured, the actuaries on both the government side and the Employees Union side have done their job: Option A and Option B are identical in ultimate value. I opt to look at the $54K/yr for ease of discussion and for ease of wrapping our brain around numbers.)

Can you just sit for a minute and ponder the meaning of this retirement package? An able-bodied man, can now live off the tax-payer for (conceivably) the next 30 years (or more… my grandfather-in-law is 94)… making a wage that MANY in America would LOVE to receive in an actual job where they would be expected to actually work 40 hours a week. Does this retirement structure make sense to ANYone reading this?

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t disapprove of ALL retirement programs. But, seriously!? $54K at the age of 56!!?? That is beyond absurd. Where can you find this in the private sector!? You CAN'T, because no company can sustain this kind of economic coddling. (Actually, we did see this type of cushy retirement structure in the Big Three auto industry for a few decades. And, the walls of that house-of-cards would have imploded a couple years ago, but for a massive, multi-billion dollar bail-out by the tax-payer.)

In fact (back to the opening point of this blog), when I mull over this retirement story, I can’t help but think about the truly needy. (Yes, I, the mean ol’ Republican, who hates poor people….) I have a friend from our church who has some serious developmental disabilities. He is in constant need of help (personal and financial). I would LOVE to see him get more money; my wife and I give as we can. But, we are constantly told by the opportunistic Democrats that the state of Wisconsin is having to cut funding to many of these aid-to-the-needy programs because Governor Walker wants to pad the pockets of the Koch Brothers.

But… what about this ridiculous retirement package for the 56-year old guy? Doesn’t that fit into the discussion somehow?

Can’t we, as a civil, compassionate society have a conversation about this? Is this guy really deserving of a fully-secured retirement package at age 56!? How many truly needy people could benefit from a better-administered payment scheme for a healthy 56-year old government employee? This is NOT helping the needy.

If the Left is TRULY concerned about helping the needy, then they must turn a critical eye to this example. The Left must see that this guy is just one of THOUSANDS of government employees who are poised to retire with similar million-dollar packages in the coming years. And, the Left must see the insanity of this financial mismanagement, and understand the long-term impact this will have on our state.

Unfortunately, I fear the Left can’t and won’t raise an eyebrow about this miscarriage of Reason because, sadly, they are not nearly so concerned about the needy as they would have you believe. There seems to be something else that they are more interested in, something they will fight to defend. But, it's NOT the needy.