![\"Speier\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Speier.jpg\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nLast week, while praising the Commission for wanting to revamp the entire military compensation program, California Democrat Jackie Speier urged her colleagues to “man up” and make the tough choices needed to punish members of the military for their service, according to Military.com<\/a>;<\/p>\n While the hearing touched on many of the proposed reforms, including retirement, much of the discussion focused on health care. Speier, in particular, sought to downplay the financial impact of the health care proposals to working-age retirees.<\/p>\n Under the panel’s recommendations, retirees younger than age 65 would initially pay 5 percent of the cost of a private plan, but the figure would increase 1 percent a year until reaching 20 percent of the premium — or until they’re eligible to switch into Medicare and Tricare for Life.<\/p>\n “It’s costing about, let’s just say round numbers, $500 a year,” Speier said. “A 1-percent increase is $5. I mean, I think we have to pitch this for what it is: You’re going to have better health care, you’re going to have a bigger network, and it’s going to cost you one Starbucks Latte a year. Are you in?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I, for one, would like to see Speier “man up” and start slashing spending in Congress. The week before she was shot in the head, Gabby Giffords recommended that Congress take a 10% cut in the operating costs for their staffs and offices. Has that moved anywhere? We’re supposed to want gun control because that’s what she says now, but what about her efforts to control government spending. Couldn’t she be the poster child for that, too?<\/p>\n Congressmen and Senators generally get 6-figure pensions when they get voted out of office. Yet here’s Speier worried about puny 5-figure pensions to folks who actually do the work that most of them wouldn’t.<\/p>\n Set the example, there, Congress – man up, FFS.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"