Brenda Jones elected Council President

[Richard]

The council has all of the power they need to accomplish their objective.

To raise the standard of living conditions within the neighborhoods and to set the standard now for the future.On that who is going to tell them otherwise and retain kind of public face.

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

[corktownyuppie]

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

How? Step One: Acknowledge and accept that the pension structures of the past have become non-sustainable.

If that comes out of Brenda Jones's mouth, I will highly respect her for saying something that is politically very difficult.

With the recent Boeing bargaining, the national pension leaders were pitted against local rank and file because the national leadership [[which -- I believe -- includes more professionals with backgrounds in actuarial finance and business) is taking the stand you're taking, while local leaders are still stuck on "Hell No, We Won't Go."

Do I believe that the court ordered pension cut will be the fairest solution?

Of course not. There will be so many more humane, just, and acceptable ways to adjust pensions. But all of them share one prerequisite: Acknowledge and Accept that pension structures of the past are unsustainable.

And I think many of us with a business background have been so frustrated for so long because we've been saying that for 10+ years...but still getting stuck on STEP ONE.

So if Councilwoman Jones is willing to face reality, accept Step One, and lead her constituents in trying to find best possible STEP TWO...then I'm all in favor. And if she thinks that marching with signs > math and arithemetic...well, we'll know where she stands.

[antongast]

IMO this whole pension battle is being fought in every city and company across the country,right or wrong it is clear the pension structures of the past have become non sustainable,so how does one deal with it going forward?

I see two options:

1. Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

2. Start buying dog food.

[jt1]

I see two options:

1. Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

2. Start buying dog food.

Lift the cap for SS contributions

[jackie5275]

Lift the cap for SS contributions

ELIMINATE the cap, although that will never happen.

[bailey]

ELIMINATE the cap, although that will never happen.

It doesn't even need to be eliminated. IIRC raising it from 100 to 500k would almost completely address the long term "insolvency" issues.

It'll never happen because democrats in office are cowards and republican voters time and again vote against their own interests because...'Merica!

[jt1]

It doesn't even need to be eliminated. IIRC raising it from 100 to 500k would almost completely address the long term "insolvency" issues.

It'll never happen because democrats in office are cowards and republican voters time and again vote against their own interests because...'Merica!

Or, eliminate the cap, but make it a smaller percent after the first 117,000 [[I believe that is the cap for 2014). Make it 1% beyond the 117,000 and I suspect there is an overnight fix for SS.

Kinda crazy that I pay the same amount of SS as Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

[corktownyuppie]

Or, eliminate the cap, but make it a smaller percent after the first 117,000 [[I believe that is the cap for 2014). Make it 1% beyond the 117,000 and I suspect there is an overnight fix for SS.

Kinda crazy that I pay the same amount of SS as Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

I'll side with you on that. SS needs to be fixed. Delaying benefits and increasing funding will need to be part of that equation, IMHO.

[Wesley Mouch]

It doesn't even need to be eliminated. IIRC raising it from 100 to 500k would almost completely address the long term "insolvency" issues.

It'll never happen because democrats in office are cowards and republican voters time and again vote against their own interests because...'Merica!

Republicans can at least argue that this was intended to be an 'insurance' program funded by employee's own contributions. As such a cap makes sense -- even if the logic is like counting the number of angels that can dance on the head of pin.

But where are the Democrats on this. You'd think this would be an easy layup for them. Maybe because the Union's don't care. They got theirs. Mostly. So screw the workers who aren't them. Let's fight instead for minimum wage to keep those poor suckers down and keep our wages up.

But this is a Brenda Jones thread -- so can I ask where everyone who was posting about loss of democracy is? I have yet to hear how this is proof that the City doesn't need an EFM dictator -- but needs more democracy.

[313WX]

But this is a Brenda Jones thread -- so can I ask where everyone who was posting about loss of democracy is? I have yet to hear how this is proof that the City doesn't need an EFM dictator -- but needs more democracy.

I'm not sure what the point of your patronizing comment is.

Snyder, due to a perfect alignment of political/judicial power and ideology, managed to get what he wanted even despite the battle being strongly fought by the opposition right down to the 11th hour.

There's no point in continuining to fight a battle that was lost. Let's just hope the person/people who won truly has our best interest in mind and everything, in the end, works out for the best.

[Schoolcraft]

But this is a Brenda Jones thread -- so can I ask where everyone who was posting about loss of democracy is? I have yet to hear how this is proof that the City doesn't need an EFM dictator -- but needs more democracy.

Perhaps if there wasn't an all powerful EM, Detroit would have had some stronger candidates run for council positions?

[poobert]

Brenda Jones on Belle Isle being leased to the State:
"It's a disrespect with no transparency. It's a rape."

Kill it before it lays eggs.

[Wesley Mouch]

Lift the cap for SS contributions

We can debate pensions till we're blue in the face, but since this is 'Brenda Jones' thread, I won't say that lifting the SS contribution cap is a very simple, powerful way to provide social security.

[jt1]

We can debate pensions till we're blue in the face, but since this is 'Brenda Jones' thread, I won't say that lifting the SS contribution cap is a very simple, powerful way to provide social security.

I was trying to change the subject so I wouldn't be reminded of the fact that Brenda Jones is President of Council. I'm hoping if I ignore this fact long enough it may not be reality

[Vic01]

...Expand Social Security benefits to a level that allows every American to enjoy a decent, humane quality of life in retirement without the need to rely on anything but Social Security checks.

I'm not sure what this means, or where the money would come from? [[you've only got $1,000. of monthly benefits paid in, but we'll give you $4,000. in order to be "humane"?) I saw in another thread something about a "guaranteed minimum income" to reduce poverty? Again, what magical pot of gold has the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to pay for this stuff?
If you look around the world, some of the countries that have done these things have had their economies go broke, so where does that leave us?