P000203
Sunday, January 27, 2002 11:57 AM
Proposed Compensation
While I am indeed sorry for the losses suffered by the families of the
victims of September 11th's tragedies, I find the amount of compensation
these people will be receiving to be obscene. The attitude of many of these
families is apparently that they are owed this compensation and I think they
are OWED absolutely nothing beyond the insurance, pension, etc. benefits the
employers of the victims would normally have paid out.
I believe the families of the victims are taking advantage of the compassion
of the American people and have become GREEDY. Surviving spouses would have
only received life insurance, etc. if the victim had died in a car accident.
In a divorce, the dependent spouse would have only been given 3 years of
support until they can become self-supporting. Now because of the
terrorists' actions these spouses want to be millionaires and set for life.
Why should these families expect a windfall of a million dollars or more
because their loved one was unfortunate enough to be in the towers or on a
plane that day? Other plane crash vicitims over the years have not expected
to profit so handsomely from the death of their loved one. Other than
spouses or dependent children/parents, no other family members or live-ins
should benefit. I understand assisting with funeral expenses, temporary
support in paying bills until insurance settlements are made, etc.
Where is reason in all of this? I saw one young widow on TV complaining
that she wanted to know who was going to pay her $2,200 per month mortgage
payment. She indicated she and her husband were basically living on a
paycheck to paycheck basis and she did not know how to begin handling their
financial affairs. Stupidity and poor financial management of one's
finances should not be rewarded with a million bucks! If she had no savings
or investments to fall back on, she did not need a house with a $2,200 a
month payment. She needs to settle with the insurance company, take
whatever her husband's employer offers, and GO GET A JOB like the rest of
us.
This country and its people do not OWE the families anything. We donated
our hard earned money thinking we would be helping them on a temporary basis
to bury their dead and have time to get their lives reorganized - not
insuring they have a life of luxury.
Again, giving them a million dollars is OBSCENE.
Individual Comment
Bradenton, FL