CONGRESSMAN PETE AGUILAR [CA-31] & PAUL COOK [CA-08] VOTE TO BAN $11.4 BILLION in ADDITIONAL BENEFITS from SOCIAL SECURITY--Shame!!!

Due to a controversial clause buried on page 70 of last year's H.R. 1314 bill [in Section 831], an estimated $11.4 billion in additional benefits are set to be banned in the coming months. The reason?  The legislation makes it quite clear: "To prevent individuals from obtaining larger benefits than Congress intended"--the problem is that the benefit is defined by what workers pay in--it's none of Congress @#$* business.  The Public Broadcasting System said: Instead of holding a public debate, Congress tacked these changes onto an emergency bill. There was not public evaluation or discussion of these changes, and there are still no publicly identified authors of these reforms". Time magazine said that "Congress is pulling the rug out from people's retirement decisions...No retiress will ever be able to feel their Social Security benefits are safe from some backroom, midnight, rushed change in rules that are designed to meet some budget targets or accomodate some politician's wishes."