U.S. legislators have their own retirement plan

To the editor:

U.S. senators and representatives do not pay into Social Security and do not collect from it when they retire. Many years ago, they voted in their own benefit plan.

When they retire, the senators and representatives will continue to draw their pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost-of-living adjustments. Based on their expected life spans, retired senators and representatives can expect to receive millions of dollars in retirement benefits. And their surviving spouses could receive hundreds of thousands dollars more. The cost to senators and representatives for this excellent plan? Zero. It is free to them. You and I pick up the tab.

Those of us on Social Security can expect to get an average of $1,000 a month after retirement. Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made: Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from the senators and representatives. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Then sit back and watch how fast they would fix it.

I plan to address this issue with my elected representatives. We must participate by communicating with our governmental officials about important issues if we are to retain our democracy as we know it today.

MARGARET CLINE HARMON

Cape Girardeau