December 04, 2015

Gov. Abbott Puts A Fox to Watch Pension Henhouse!

Retirees across Texas are protesting Governor Abbott’s appointment of Josh McGee to the Texas Pension Review Board. McGee has a long record of advocating taking away “defined benefit” pensions from public employees. He is a Vice President of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, which has been attacking teachers’ pensions for years.

Please sign the petition to the governor and to the Texas Senate asking that they terminate McGee’s appointment.

The Dallas and Austin Newspapers ran an article with complaints from a workers’ organization that had actually endorsed Abbott for governor. Who’s sorry now? Unfortunately, it’s not just that organization but all Texas retirees! The Texas Tribune article is the most comprehensive so far in explaining  how the governor has shown his prejudice against the rights of Texas retirees.

Attacks against the rights of public employees to have decent pensions are occurring across the United States. Taking away pensions was a major part of the Detroit bankruptcy effort, for example. There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of American workers who have decent pension plans since 1980. The anti-retiree foxes want to substitute 401k savings plans or some other so-called “defined contribution” plans. It has been well documented that those plans are far inferior to real pensions.

You may contact the governor on his web site and let him know your opinion. Contact organizer Judy Bryant to help build a coalition that stands up for real pensions for Texas retirees!

—Gene Lantz