TROUGH WATCH : Pensions Aplenty

Congress’ new Republican majority promises to take a fresh look at everything affecting Congress. That had better include those pension and benefit plans that are deservedly the envy of nearly everyone who labors in the private sector.

The National Taxpayers Union, a watchdog group, calculates for example that House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.), defeated for reelection, can console himself with a lifetime pension of $123,804 a year. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who’s now awaiting trial on a slew of felony charges, stands to collect $96,462 annually. Current pay for members of Congress is $133,600 a year, so the pension that Rostenkow- ski and other long-serving, soon-to-be-former members will collect comes to more than 72% of their pay.

There aren’t many private pension plans that provide a comparable level of financial comfort. In fact, the number of Americans who get any pension benefits at all is shrinking--it’s now less than 60% of workers--and precious few of them are enrolled in plans that have mandatory adjustments for inflation, as Congress has voted itself.

If the Republicans are serious about cutting spending and eventually balancing the budget, they’re going to have to cut entitlements, a word that means something a person has a legal right to. Congress has legislated its own legal right to generous compensation, both during and after congressional service. One guess as to which entitlement the public would be most willing to see cut first.