The pensions belong to the people

Sounds like a chant for a union rally or march, doesn't it?

"The pensions belong to the people! The pensions belong to the people!"

But it's refreshing to hear it come from conservative blogger Deb Jordahl, who writes that a pension is the property of the employee and can't -- or at least shouldn't -- be taken away. She says:

...A pension is not a gift from employer to employee; it is part of an employee's overall compensation package, and when employment terminates, the pension belongs to the employee. Any attempt by the legislature to seize that property is not likely hold up in court, especially if it’s done retroactively.

Of course, she was talking about the suggestion that pensions should be taken away from ex-legislators who have been convicted of misuing their offices. Since her position was that Scooter Jensen and Co. did nothing wrong, she naturally doesn't want to seem him/them penalized further.

Either do I. Pensions do belong to workers who earned them.

I hope Deb will convey that information to her friends Scott Walker, Charlie Sykes, Patrick McIlheran and other wingnuts who insist that the way for Milwaukee County to get back on its financial feet is to take pensions away from county employees, or pass legislation to negate contracts they have negotiated with the county.

Sauce for the goose ...