Thursday, December 19, 2002

Main-stream vs. Ex-treme QUOTE OF THE DAY "Some people got everything; some people got nothing. Some people got hopes and dreams; some people got the ways and means... Some people got trucks and planes, some people got pride and shame. Some people got plots and schemes, some people got no shame it seems... Some people put the best outside; some people keep the best inside; Some people can't stand up strong; some people won't wait for long." - - Robert Nesta Marley RHINO HERE: How many Americans are aware that our Senators & Congresspeople don't pay into Social Security nor collect from it. Social Security benefits aren't appropriate for persons of their elevation in society. Many years ago they voted in their own special benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. Why should they? It's a great plan. When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each.Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. Nada. Zilch. This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them but you and I pick up the tab. The funds come directly from the General Funds - our tax dollars at work! On the other hand, from our Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched! by our employer)--we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement (that's if it's still afloat). In other words, we we'd have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits! Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made; to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us and then watch how fast they would fix it. Anyone interested in joining me to call our Senators & Congresspeople to give them a piece of our minds about this? FIND YOUR SENATOR'S CONTACT INFO AT: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm FIND YOUR CONGRESSPERSON'S CONTACT INFO AT: http://www.house.gov/ Speaking of Senators, one of mine, Barbara Boxer, (who I'll be calling today about her retirement plan) lambasted shrub's war plans in a speech Monday at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco. She's been a no nonsense stand strong rep for a long time. (Years back, I was so glad to have her as my Congresswoman, that I proposed marriage - through her phone staffer) Below the line today is an excerpt from an S.F. Chronicle article about her speech. FOR INFO ON THE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL: http://www.itsyourworld.org FOR A REAL AUDIO RECORDING OF HER SPEECH: http://www.altuscorp.com/vPortal 8:42:02 AM    comment

Boxer Rejects Talk of War, First Strikes U.S. Losing its Moral Authority, She Warns in S.F. by John Wildermuth , S.F. Chronicle, Tuesday, December 17, 2002 The Bush administration's drumbeat for war and backing for political assassination could be a long-term disaster for the country, Sen. Barbara Boxer said Monday. "I believe we have lost the moral high ground with the talk of war, assassination and first strikes coming out of Washington," she told about 200 people at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco. "Sometimes might might have to back right, but only as a last resort." Recent reports indicate that the administration has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to hunt down and kill top al Qaeda leaders and terrorists, as well as suggestions that pre-emptive nuclear attacks could be used against countries and groups likely to use weapons of mass destruction. "This is not a time for arrogance," Boxer said. The United States has the military and political power to impose its will on the rest of the world, she said, but only at the cost of sowing seeds of resentment, even among our allies. "We have led the world not only because of our military strength, but also because of the strength of our ideas and ideals," Boxer said. FOR THE REST OF THE ARTICLE: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/12/17/MN39062.DTL Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law ( http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html ). All copyrights belong to original publisher. - COMMENT ON TODAY'S BLOG - SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES - SURF RHINO'S LINKS http://www.rhinosblog.info "RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com) Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged. RHINO'S WEB SITES: http://www.rhinosblog.info (RHINO'S WEBLOG - PRESENT & PAST) http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG) http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES) 8:36:33 AM    comment

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