I am writing in response to your "Pension primer" editorial (Oct. 4). As a 28-year Maryland state employee at the port, I can tell you that you are dead wrong in your call for moving state employees away from traditional pension benefits and toward a defined contribution system such as the 401(k). That oversimplifies the situation, makes no sense in the real world and completely ignores the facts.

The real problem is that those who are already in 401(k)s are already in big trouble. When the market goes bad, their nest eggs dwindle. As it stands now, most baby boomers with 401(k) accounts could very likely have very little to retire with — and may fall into poverty. We need to recognize that this — not the fluctuations of pension systems — is the real problem America will be facing within a few years. We need to figure out a way for these individual accounts to be better managed and structured so that they will sustain economic downturns, as the pension system will. The worst thing would be to put more Americans into these individual plans.

As stated in your piece, most state employees are compensated less than private sector employment. Few would have the financial ability to invest in a 401(k) type system as their sole retirement or have the knowledge and time to manage such a plan.

Pension systems naturally fluctuate — and what we are experiencing now in the pension system is a fluctuation. History tells us that the system will rebound as the economy rebounds. So please stop advocating the outright robbery of my pension and the pensions of thousands of Maryland state employees. Look to Wall Street, the folks who caused this economic mess in the first place and start demanding their bonuses, golden parachutes and payouts before you come after the retirement I've been contributing to for most of my life.

Brian Lanasa, Parkville