I read this piece and the recurring question is WHAT ARE THEY TINKING? When one "intelligently" considers the plan to eliminate the FERS social security option for workers who voluntarily retire before age 62 alone, you know this will cot America MORE, since MOST if not ALL (not many as you guessed), would work longer. It will cost each Fed no more than $2,000 a month. BUT, IF America pays my FT salary for another 6 years, rather that the SS offset and my 35% of my salary, HOW DOES THIS SAVE A DIME????? In my case alone, that is $115,000 a year for 6 years of extra work ti age 62=$690,000 vs I retire at 56 and America pays me $241,500 + $12,000 SS offset = $253,500.....I cannot BELEIVE the White House supports this plan! TRUST ME I WILL NOT VACATE MY JOB, SO YOU DON'T REDUCE THE WORKFORCE EITHER! Hope somebody over there is reading this...this is NOT a good idea!

Politicians really don't care about reducing the deficits, it's all about how they look and they look good when taking away benefits and reducing pay for Federal Employees. Not many people will actually sit down and do the numbers so they will never know if it's a savings or not. Politicians, Republicans or Democrats only care about the next election and what it takes to keep their power.

No raise in 2 years, gas at $4.00, grocery prices gone up, clothing outrageous, not to mention my husband can't find work. I guess if I sat at home naked and didn't eat I'd be doing darn good.

I will agree with you that politicians, Democrats and Republicans, think about themselves and not about the people.-----Your husband cannot find work? (I will add that match his skills and the pay is reasonable if less than what he was making) The economy went sour during the George Bush era. I think it has been shown that it is the speculators driving oil prices.-----I would like to see the deficit go down. However, it is very difficult to reduce the deficit and stimulate the economy so your husband has a better chance of getting a job.-----Also, we know that the Republicans have called for the elimination of the FERS supplement. I cannot recall Obama advocating this. So, MD Ball, please show me where he has advocated this. I really do not remember. You could be right, but refresh my memory.