-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Don’t blame me, I voted for Trump.
For those who can’t work from home and making under 40k or so this is a huge hit. Put on top of that grocery costs. Grocery bills are $800 more per month than it was 18 months ago. Suburban left wingers with disposable income say stupid things like “just buy an electric car” or they say “at least you’re not being bombed by Russia” or the ever-popular ‘first world problem” or point a finger at someone else for causing the gas prices, inflation and supply chin problem. Truth is Biden, cut off our energy at the knees in a dozen… Read more »
The Dems may never get the House back after November. I wonder how well Casten and Underwood are sleeping?
I think they’re sleeping like babies. Illinois is a corrupt entity upon itself. Vote buying, voter fraud and the stupidity of the majority of democratic voters will keep them in office.
Unfortunately those two are fine with all the AWFL voters that are now in DuPage county. AWFL=Affluent, White, Female, Liberal
Yes, its ridiculous. But, there are lots of things even more so. Maybe we could agree that having your town bombed and its citizens living in terror—or even dying—from it might be one such case. The guy complaining has an obvious case of an entitlement mentality. Its horribly shallow.
“Maybe we could agree that having your town bombed and its citizens living in terror—or even dying—from it might be one such case.
Why not just say nuclear war or a meteoroid hitting earth is worse than high energy prices? No one should ever complain about high gas prices! If you can’t feed your family because of inflation and high energy prices, stop complaining, we could have nuclear war!
Yes, I agree: we could. What we have mostly in the USA are “first world problems” with complaints of a far lesser concern than most people world-wide are forced to face. Case in point: one of our cleaning ladies got sick so the rest came late today, so we’ve had to reschedule our whole day. Now, there’s a problem only a priviledged American would have the nerve to state.
People should take inconveniences in stride. Easier said than done, of course.
My, you sound like Stephen (“I would pay $15 per gallon since I drive a Tesla anyway”) Colbert.
Is that the same as the Zoomers constantly saying “We’re all in this together”?
Don’t post here as a Stephen Colbert fan unless you want endless grief. Nearly everyone here likely thinks he’s a sleaze ball. I’m a fan. Who woulda guessed?
$4.70 gas may be an inconvenience to you but it’s a matter of survival for people living paycheck to paycheck. A $40 fill up a few months ago is now $80 now. Four times a week is $160, that’s an electric bill, or a monthly payment on little billy’s braces, or one less day at the water park for the kids on summer vacation. Many people just going to put these expensive fill ups on the credit card and worry about paying it later, if ever, and many will ultimately end up filing bankruptcy. You have your pension but most… Read more »
Don’t forget, the Dept of Defense is the biggest user of oil. Biden doesn’t care if you get oil for your car, they’re running to Venezuela so the government can get oil at reduced rates, while you continue to pay retail.
https://psmag.com/environment/the-military-is-the-largest-single-user-of-fossil-fuels-elizabeth-warren-wants-to-change-that
You can any personal “political conspiracy theory” into every decision any president makes. If it can’t be proven it may be only in your mindset. We all know Pres. Trump loves the poorly educated who are for him big-time, and he’s said exactly that. Still, he would never associate with any of them except as it promotes his own purposes. He doesn’t live among them either and clearly only admires “the winners.” What do you think he likely privately calls all the others who have fallen so hard for his line of B. S.? I think all of them are… Read more »
I tell anyone who brings up Trump as a non-sequitur:
GO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR YOUR TDS
Yes, I’ve noticed that to be your tag-line periodically. Its a response that’s non-responsive, so it eludes me why you seem to feel enough pride about it to use it repetitively. Its clearly a put-down as if clubbing the other person rather than taking the higher road of persuasion. I’m not saying this applies to you, but in general the act of clubbiing another person to submission is more often the mark of a big bully of low intellect. Its their go-to act when stressed.
James,
You didn’t contribute anything valuable to the conversation, you brought up Trump for no reason because he lives permanently in your head. That’s called TDS.
Well, not me, of course, but “some people are saying” you might have BDS.
Biden is president, Trump is not. Biden’s trip to South America and the Middle East to procure additional gas supplies is relevant to the inflation problem; talking about Trump’s love for the uneducated is not at all related.
Lots of thing have relevance with some of more immediate applicability. Trump is out of office, but some 30% of Republicans still are so strongly influenced by him as to think he’s likely to be our next President. Having TDS seems to have infected a lot of people. How can it not?
Don’t waste your time or brain power on James. He’s obviously an elitist snob, as liberals tend to be, and cannot make a point without bringing up Trump at some point. It’s the same old blah blah blah from him each time.
You sound like those people who said, “just get on the train, it’s only a work camp for a year or two”.
Really, James? Comparing apples to oranges?
Typical distraction ploy that I thought beneath you; you’ve proved me wrong,
We do that all the time here, if you’ve failed to notice, so I’m way, way down the list of people who have ever done that. And, so what?
Oh James, stop complaining about someone complaining. Don’t you know there is a war going on?
Maybe MSM could hold the White House accountable? Instead they send a cackling idiot to represent the US who completely minimizes the humanitarian crisis overseas. They don’t care. Period. If they don’t care about war why in the heck would they care about our gas prices. And big pharma has an exemption to continue to manufacture in Russia. Of course. All falls on deaf ears because morons vote the Ds in. It is way more than the gas prices but when will this WH listen to anyone? They need to go – starting with midterms.
Yet you choose to continue living in Chicago.
No Sympathy.
Melt the communist politicians phone lines, street protests, open the Keystone pipeline. PROTESTS need to start!
Keep your Focus Here at Home and what is going on!
Fight for America!
Communist Politicians have switched your Focus. Don’t Fall for it!
Protests and phone calls rarely affect politicians’ decisions. Do you think Jan Schkowsky is going to change her mind if I call to complain?
I think Jan lost her mind years ago.
Schkowsky is one of the parasites. They work against us not for us. So no.