S.D., your main overall point seems to be that the problem is systemic and isn't going to be cured by any "reform" effort - the people who make the rules regarding benefits accrued by the bureaucratic class are beneficiaries themselves of the system, and they won't vote against their own self-interest (the "People" be damned ...)  :-(

It's interesting to me that you suggest that retirement benefits for the public sector might be by law essentially unlimited.  (Except for those sad cases where the State treasuries actually run empty - see e.g. Illinois, or Puerto Rico ...)  

Thanks for your words.