Comments for Chicagobluesgirl's Blog

Comment on The Myths Surrounding Teacher Retirement System in Illinois by chris

chris — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:08:11 +0000

One thing that always upsets me is all the political rhetoric for state pensions and for social security that push 401 type pension plans. The TRS fund has averaged over 9% returns for the past 30 years. Ask anyone who has a 401 or 403b what they have averaged, and the difference is so great that I have seen comments that imply that one would be a fool to believe that this rate of return is real and not a political lie. Well, believe it. No bank or large corporation gets the low rate of return that us individuals in 401 or 403b plans do. Between 1997 and 2001, my 403b was averaging a return of about 1%. Meanwhile, my Dad’s 401 was averaging a return in the mid to low teens . How? His 401 was managed by the finance team at General Motors. He chose to have them manage the 401 rather than try to manage his own money through Fidelity. Thus he got the kind of returns that all banks, large pension funds, and large corporations get. I hope that all teachers will continue to have the opportunity to participate in a fund that gets the returns of the “big players”, and feel depressed that our political and corporate system pushes the little guy into a retirement plan that is doomed to share in all the volitility that investments have, but give little of the pay offs.
My contributions, plus the contribution of my school district to the TRS system over 27 years have grown in value (using the 9.2% average return) to a little over $400,000 (when state contributions are disregarded and counted as 0) while my 403b, in which I invested the maximum allowable during most years (yes, I’m single, no kids, so I had that luxury) has a little less than $200,000. That exemplifies the value of a well run state pension fund.

Comment on Part of a Continuing Series: Why I Hate Liberalism by Sheri

Sheri — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:35:41 +0000

I get it …and as I agree with protecting the innocent wildlife I see the irony in the passion they have for no protection of innocent human life. Is there a word for how ridiculous that is?

Comment on Incredible Letter to Glenn Beck: 53-year-old Woman Hits the Nail on the Head by chicagobluesgirl

chicagobluesgirl — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:48:25 +0000

YES! And thank you for writing. Thank you too to you and your son for your and his service to our country. God Bless.

Comment on Incredible Letter to Glenn Beck: 53-year-old Woman Hits the Nail on the Head by Vickie

Vickie — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:43:25 +0000

Wow! I just now have read this letter some 2 years later. She has crawled in my head and put all of my thoughts into words for the world to read. Hats off to her. What a truly wonderful letter. I hope it has some in Washington taking a good long look in the mirror, but given the last 2 years I would say not. So the people must continue to come.

Comment on Martin Luther King Would Vote Against Obama by chicagobluesgirl

chicagobluesgirl — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:39:30 +0000

Thanks for writing. And also interesting that Democrats take credit for everything he stood for when they fought tooth and nail the tenets of his work.

Comment on Martin Luther King Would Vote Against Obama by Sideliner

Sideliner — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:36:40 +0000

Dr. King was a registered Republican. This is common knowledge, but interesting that it’s immediately challenged. Typical.

Comment on The 2012 DEMOCRAT FRAUD FACTOR: Get ready to fight. by Fighting Voter Fraud in Illinois and America « Chicagobluesgirl’s Blog

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:59:06 +0000

[...] We remain a laughing stock in this area and we also remain a blue state. It is my premise that the last election for governor was rigged. The Chicago Machine was involved and my guess is that Brady, though winning every county except [...]

Comment on Martin Luther King Would Vote Against Obama by chicagobluesgirl

chicagobluesgirl — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:40:03 +0000

Thanks so much for writing. Yes, I was alive during Dr. King’s tenure as a leader in the civil rights movement. I have based my article on all of the tenets he supported and purported for all of us. My statement came out of that research and I’ll stand behind it. I also feel the http://www.nbra.info would agree and would suggest you investigate their research and website.

Comment on Martin Luther King Would Vote Against Obama by Janice Thorpe

Janice Thorpe — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:58:22 +0000

Were you born when MLK was alive? Or is this opinion based on what you read or imagined? I don’t think he would appreciate your assumption on how he would vote. Respect is something the right wing has excluded from their operative .

Comment on Martin Luther King Would Vote Against Obama by archangel

archangel — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:38:26 +0000

Amazingly Accurate. Thank you. A shame that the Black Community can’t understand the truth.