There was once a day when the word “pension” inspired not jealousy, but pride for having done hard work to earn it.  Yet these days, pension seems to be a dirty word, while “golden parachute” seems to be all the rage.  Take our two candidates for governor.

Meg Whitman has been trying to pin the infamous “double-dipping” tag on Jerry Brown.  Brown’s service in state government in addition to his tenure as Mayor of Oakland would offer him two different methods of a pension. Outrageous cries the Whitman campaign, he’s probably taking billions of money from public coffers. I should know, I looted eBay on the way out the door. And all that.

However, it seems Whitman speaks from too much personal experience and not enough actual knowledge of the situation.  Brown released his pension records, and he is due slightly under $80,000 per year when he retires. (With his selected option of keeping his wife on as a survivor.)

As for Ms. Whitman, let’s go back to that looting of eBay.  Her exit from eBay can be best described as a gentle nudge by the Board after some controversy with rising fees (taxes?!) and some issues on the stock front.  She stuck around at eBay on the Board for a few years after she left, and it was during the time immediately after she left the CEO gig that her successor laid off 10% of eBay’s workers.  Meanwhile, Whitman was receiving a fat golden parachute.

But, you see, Whitman earned that! Right? Right?  

So, to summarize, it is great, nee awesome, to raise fees on small businesses so you can get a phat golden parachute. But to work for 25 years as a public servant to get a modest pension?  Outrageous!

Why is Brown’s pension even an issue? Or is this one of those Karl Rove jujitsu moves where she’s attacking where she’s weak?  Fact is, that Whitman carted off a billion dollars worth of loot from small businesses trying to create jobs.  Do as I say, not as I do, I suppose.