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Simpson Still Needs to be Sacked from Commission
Alan Simpson, who last week compared Social Security to a mutant bovine (thanks to TPM’s Brian Beutler for the turn of phrase) has “tried time and again over the years to raise the retirement age and cut Social Security benefits,” says Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).
Nadler last week joined the growing list of Social Security advocates and women’s groups calling for Simpson’s resignation from the federal budget deficit commission where he is co-chair.
While Simpson issued an apology for his comments, Ashley Carson, executive director of the Older Women’s League (OWL) who was the target of his verbal assault, says he should still resign or President Obama should remove him from the commission. She says Simpson’s actions
demonstrate that he does not possess the judgment necessary to make objective recommendations about some of America’s most valued programs.
Click here to sign a petition calling for Simpson’s ouster. For a good look at all 18 members of the commission that most observers believe will recommend raising the Social Security retirement age and other cuts, read Beutler’s post at TPM
Simpson’s long-been known for nasty-edged comments. Check out StuffAlansimpsonsays.com
Meanwhile, Senate candidate Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), couldn’t find time to talk with a group of seniors who wanted to talk to him about his stands on cutting Social Security and Medicare. Instead, Blunt staffers called the police when the first group went to his district office and forced a second group to leave a meeting where Blunt was set to speak. As hotlflash on Show Me Progress writes:
Well, the staff’s behavior is perfectly understandable. First of all, imagine the gall of those old folks to ask questions at the office of a Senate candidate about issues that concern them.
Amanda Terkel at Huffington Post looks at the number of Republican candidates and current officeholders who endorse Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget blueprint that would privatize Social Security and replace Medicare with a voucher system. The frightening part is that Ryan would be chairman of the House Budget Committee if Republicans win back the House in November.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has an in-depth look at Ryan’s plan here.
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26 Comments
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This is why everyone fifty and up should not skip voting when the polls are open on election day!!Everyone should be voting for Democrats,they are the ones who support workers and retirees.The Republicans only support the rich who do not give a crap about the people who are less than middleclass!!Democrats=good guys. Republicans=Devil!
This ignorant response is so typical of AFL-CIO propagandized working people. Both Democrats and Republicans are heavily controlled by corporate interests, agendas. The “reasons” to cut the deficit (caused by unending wars, vast corruption by Wall Street, etc.etc.) are TOTALLY FRAUDULENT! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SOCIAL SECURITY AS FAR AS THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORKING PEOPLE IS CONCERNED!
Bush and Cheney were afraid to seriously attack Social Security. “Con Man” Obama and the Democrats are now carrying out this massive assault upon the increasingly impoverished working people of this country.
THE AFL-CIO SHOULD CALL FOR THE COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THIS BUDGET DEFICIT COMMISSION!
OF ALL THE ISSUES TO UNITE WORKING PEOPLE, THE PROTECTION AND EVEN EXPANSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY IS THE ISSUE TO DRIVE HOME NOW!
AN ULTIMATUM TO ALL POLITICIANS AND TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESPECIALLY THIS LABOR DAY MUST BE THIS:
IF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND OBAMA DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY OPPOSE THIS ASSAULT ON SOCIAL SECURITY,
THE AFL-CIO WILL OPPOSE ALL POLITICIANS IN THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION WHO DOES NOT STAND IN STRONG AND VIGOROUS SUPPORT OF SOCIAL SECURITY!
THE AFL-CIO SHOULD USE EVERY RESOURCE AT IT’S DISPOSAL TO TERMINATE ALL POLITICIANS OF BOTH PARTIES TO MOBILIZE THE WORKING PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY AGAINST THIS ASSAULT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
THE AFL-CIO SHOULD NOT GIVE ANY MORE MONEY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OR IT’S CANDIDATES WITHOUT THIS DEMONSTRATED OPPOSITION.
FURTHERMORE, ON THIS LABOR DAY THE AFL-CI0 SHOULD ISSUE A CALL FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW POLITICAL PARTY, THAT TAKES NO CORPORATE MONEY OR AGENDAS, THAT WILL REPRESENT THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF ALL WORKING PEOPLE, ORGANIZED AND UNORGANIZED.
THE NEW PARTY PLANS TO 2012 TO BE ORGANIZED AT EVERY LEVEL OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
TO RUN CANDIDATES UP TO THE LEVEL OF PRESIDENT.
PERHAPS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST MUST BE TO DEFEND SOCIAL SECURITY. THE PLATFORM OF THE NEW PARTY MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE IN ENDING THE LOOTING OF THE ECONOMY, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANET FROM WARS, TO DECISIVELY WORK TO END CLIMATE CHANGE, AND TO MASSIVELY CREATE NEW PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS FOR MILLIONS OF UNEMPLOYED AND INCREASINGLY IMPOVERISHED WORKING PEOPLE.
THE DEMOCRATS AND OBAMA ARE COMPLETELY HOSTILE TO THE NEEDS OF WORKING PEOPLE.
IT IS UNENDING TRAGEDY AND BETRAYAL OF ORGANIZED TRADE UNION MEMBER NEEDS THAT THE AFL-CIO BLINDLY SUPPORTS THE CORPORATE CONTROLLED DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WHILE RIGHTLY OPPOSING THE CORPORATE CONTROLLED REPUBLICANS.
JERRY, YOUR SO RIGHT ON AND A VERY GOOD REPLY !
Jerry Wells is correct. The reshaping of Social Security will be undertaken in a BI-PARTISAN effort, because BOTH THE DEMOCRATS and GOP’s are CORPORATE CONTROLLED. They are NOT like US in any WAY, SHAPE or FORM.
The only way for WORKING PEOPLE to be represented is to ELECT BLUE COLLAR folks just like themselves.
US LABOR LABOR.
yeah – let’s try to screw everyone who creates jobs!
BILLY YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE BIG PITCHER TO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH POLITICS , JERRY WAS RIGHT ON , DONT BE BLINDED !
ZIMMMETT , HOW ARE YOU , I AM REPLYING TO YOUR COMMENT ON REPUBLICANS, I CAN SEE YOUR NOT INTO FACTS AND THE COUNTRYS HISTORY YOUR IN DARKNESS AND BLINDED BY YOUR OWN AGRROGRANCE ! WE HAVE JUST AS MANY DEMOCRATS THAT HAVE FAILED WORKING PEOPLE OF AMERICA AND THERE IS GOOD AND BAD IN POLITICS , WHEN YOU GET MORE EXPERIENCE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THINGS MORE CLEAR AND YOU WILL WRITE MUCH BETTER AT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY , THEN FEELING YOUR WAY AROUND IN THE DARK . GOD BLESS YOU ..
Ditto Ditto Ditto!
Your thinking is totally correct. If you are not wealthy the Republicans can not and will not help you. They are the party of the wealthy and keeping the wealth in the same coffers is the only true adgenda of the Republican Party.
Seriously, why would unions back the Democratic Party if the Dems weren’t ALL ABOUT THE WORKERS?!!!!
Well, I seem to remember that President Obama appointed the members of the Catfood Commission after Congress decided not to authorize it. We are moving to a bipartisan consensus that SS/Medicare/Medicaid must all be cut. The Rebubs are simply half of the problem.
So true… the people on this commission are more conservative and moderate than those backing the interests of SS beneficiaries and workers.
Andrew Stern is the only labor delegate on the commission.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2621618920100427
Protecting Social Security is actually very easy and uncomplicated. What we’re getting from the Republican Party is the same strategy that was used to end aid for our poor (down to actually using the same “marketing points” and sound bites!)
Think a minute: Since the Reagan administration billions of taxpayer dollars have gone into corporate tax relief/handouts on the theory that this would spur massive job creation, protect wages, etc. It didn’t work. After some 30 years of handouts, we have fewer — NOT more — jobs, with shrinking wages/benefits.
Restore fair taxation of corps. Obviously, tax relief doesn’t prevent job loss. Put that money into Social Security. Remember, “corporate tax relief” is not as complicated as it sounds. It simply means that the tax bills owed by corporations are passed along to American workers. You pay so the rich don’t have to.
One fallacy about the figures used to determine if there is enough money in Social Security to protect benefits for the next few decades: Those figures assume that no one will die before they are 80 or so. That’s crazy, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the dramatic decrease of human needs funding that has had a profound impact on a range of things (i.e., a single job loss more easily results in permanent poverty, etc., and increased poverty has resulted in shocking reversals in infant mortality and longevity in the US). Just since the Reagan administration, the US has fallen from #1 to #11 in “quality of life.” The number of people who live long enough to enjoy retirement is rapidly shrinking.
Not long ago, Social Security had a massive surplus, “more than would ever be needed,” we were told. Govt convinced the public that “borrowing” this money for immediate needs (i.e., corp tax relief) would increase jobs and wages, stimulating the economy, which would thereby protect Social Security. Every penny would be repaid before the Boomer generation retired, we were told.
That didn’t work, either. To protect Social Security, end corporate handouts, restore fair taxation of the rich, and legally prohibit government from “borrowing” Social Security money; this money belongs to the people.
Not so complicated. The “Social Security crisis” is purely an invention of those who are eager to funnel remaining dollars into the bank accounts of a handful of America’s super-rich and powerful.
Mr. Simpson (and the Republican Party) seems to have forgotten that he was hired to represent the American people. That’s his job, his responsibility. When an individual refuses to do the job for which he was hired and paid, it becomes necessary to fire him.
Corporations already have disproportionate representation in government. If Mr. Simpson would prefer to be a representative of corporate interests, he is free to retire from public office to pursue this interest.
Why would labor want an outspoken honest American sacked?
Anyone with basic math skills can see we have to start cutting entitlements and raising the social security age.
Why is this American generation the first one that will steal from our children?
Have we lost all decency to not only not have this discussion of inter-generational theft – but to demand the head of the person that asks for the discussion?
Shame on us. Our grandshildren will never forgive us for our rigid entitlement mandate despite our decliing economy.
Our generation will go down as the one that ruined the country!
Anyone with basic math and/or economic skills will see exactly the opposite. Social Security is by law forbidden to operate at a deficit. Medicare and Medicaid financing problems are simply a product of the entire dysfunctional US healthcare system. Please explain this “inter-generational theft” meme. US debt is in US dollars. US dollars are created by computer entry. US debt is produced because the rich demand a sae place to park their money in times of turmoil. US debt is a substitute for taxing the rich . . overwhelmingly the holders of US debt. So, do you want to subsidize the rich or make them part of the solution?
Pardon my if my math skills are too basic, but I see a system that has run a surplus for 40 of the last 45 years. The highly-educated mathematicians who are now predicting a “possible” shortfall by 2017 can’t even accurately predict what the economy will look like ONE year in the future.
What kind of math are you doing?
followingsylvis.blogspot.com | twitter.com/followingsylvis | facebook.com/followingsylvis
SAM WE HAD 3 PAST PRESIDENTS IN THE LAST DEPRESSION , HOVVER , TRUMAN AND IKE , THEY STOPPED IMMIGRATION AND REMOVED ILLEGALS FROM AMERICA TO CREATE JOBS FOR AMERICANS TO PAY INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TODAY , NOW IF YOU DO THE MATH A IDEOT COULD SEE THE MAYH DOES NOT WORK , WE HAVE ABOUT 30 MILLION ILLEGALS IN AMERICA AND ABOUT 23 MILLION ILLEGALS ON WELLFARE AND WORKING NESR SOME HARDWARE STORE WAITING TO BE PICKED UP FOR WORK PAID UNDER THE TABLE AND NO TAXES OR PAYING INTO THE SYSTEN , BUT TAKING FROM IT 2 TIMES , THATS NOT COUNTING THE 125,000 FOREIGN BORN WORKERS COMING TO AMWERICA EACH MONTH WITH WORK PERMITS , TAKING AMERICA WORKING PEOPLES JOBS ! THATS 1.5 MILLION A YEAR AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER AREAS ,
IKE ALONE WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT REMOVED OVER 14 MILLION ILLEGALS TO GIVE AMERICANS JOBS ,, WHATS WRONG NOW ?
WE HAVE PROGRESSIVE PARTY IN OFFICE THATS PROGRESSIVE , NOW YOU LOST THE AMERICAN DREAM , IF YOU WANT THE AMERICAN DREAM YOU HAVE TO 100% VOTE OBAMA, PELOSI , RIED , HILLARY AND MC CAIN TOO AND THE OTHERS OUT TO OBTAIN THE AMERICAN DREAM , ITS THAT SIMPLE FOLKS ,,, THATS THE MATH !
Repubs are the source of the problem, and they and their party of “NO!” need to be voted out. They have proved that they don’t care for anyone but their corporate paymasters and their rich donors. Forcing 60 votes to do anything is clear cut obstructionism, so lets get 60 votes, NOW!
http://www.whatnowtoons.com
left of center political cartoons
why don,t you cut your own perks and stop hurting hard working tax payers who have pay for your incompetence, maybe you should be fired and not receive a penny more of tax payer money and see if you like it!
Billy Thomas
Why would labor want an outspoken honest American sacked?
If you call him an honest American then I believe that you should move out of this country.
Anyone with basic math skills can see we have to start cutting entitlements and raising the social security age.
According to Move-On.org the social security system has enough money until the year 2027 before any thing needs to be done.
Our generation will go down as the one that ruined the country!
Our generation was ruined long before this. Just look at the 2 wars we are in right now thanks to George Bush.
Voting Republican has got to be detrimental for any sane American.
Too bad we don’t have more senators and representatives like Bernie Sanders, Alan Grayson and DeFasio.
They speak the truth. Period.
I tend to agree with your feelings Zimmett, but this naation would not be the land of freedom it USED to be if we just sent anyone with opposing views away even if the opposing views are so stupid and totally lack common sense, the should be free to voice said stupid opinions!
VOTE OUT THE NO PARTY
I just learned that Simpson get to keep his job, oh brother. So much for Obama and his great people in the White House!!
I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE THE UNION WITH THIS ARTICAL TODAY !
THIS ALAN IS JUST ONE OF MANY PESTHOLES OBAMA HAS PUT INTO OFFICE THERE SICK IDEOLGYS AND VIEWS IS VERY SICJK AND ILL . THERE INTEREST IS NOT FOR WORKING AMERICANS AND UNIONS IN AMERICA , THE SOONER HE GOES THE BETTER OFF WE WILL BE , JUST MORE STEP FORWARD ,, IF WE GET RID OF ONE A DAY WE WILL BE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN AMERICA BY THAT TIME OBAMA WILL BE GONE ALONG WITH PELOSI , RIED AMD HILLARY AND THE REST OF THIS PROGRESSIVE PART AND MARXISM CREEPS , LITENING TO THEM IS LIKE LISTEN TO REV J. WRIGHTS CHUCH …. HEY WE WILL ALL SINGING ” PLOP , PLOP , FIZZ , FIZZ , OH WHAT A RELIFE IT IS , THERE GONE ”
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL THE TROOPS AND A SAFE RETURN HOME
Forgive me, but all those capital letters make your words hard to read, so I didn’t get very far.
WHEN CONGRESS IN 2000 HAD 6 TRILLION DOLLARS , THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY , IT WAS THE LAST TAXES TO HIS , THE PAYMENT TO RAGANS 17 YEAR LOAN WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE AND STAND TO BE CORRECTED FROM THE INFO THAT I HAD GOTTEN ! CONGRESS WAS TOTALLY CONTROLLED BY THE DEMOCRATS , REPUBLICANS HAD REALLY NO SAY ! THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT 6 TRILLION AND PUT IT INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY CITIZENS , FOR WORKING AMERICANS AND DOUBLE OR TRIPPLE THE PAYMENTS , THEY MAKE 2% A YEAR ON THAT MONEY AND THE FEDS PLAN THEY MAKE 4% , THATS 2% MORE THEN OUR PLAN , WHY ?
THEY DID NOT EVEN CARE WHY DO WE PUT SO MUCH INTO THE DEMOCARTS , WHEN THEY DONT DO VERY MUCH FOR US , NAFTA WAS PUT THROUGH BY CLINTON AND WE LOST OVER 5 MILLION AMERICAN JOBS ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO AND ITS BEEN GOING DOWN HILL EVER FROM THAT TIME , WE NEED TO WAKE UP FOLKS , YOU GAVE THEN A CREDIT CARD WITH NO LIMIT TO SPEND AND .. WE , WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND WE HAVE FOR THE LAST 40 YAERS THE BABY BOOMERS . SAVED ALL THERE ASS’S FOR 40 YEARS . NOW ITS TIME FOR CHANGE !
I say “Throw Out” anyone who tries to degrade Social Security in any way. This great institution is NOT welfare or some sort of entitlement. It has been earned by all that have contributed to it over their entire lives. Privitizing it should never be even casually considered. Cutting it in any way should never be considered at all, at least not unless it is dated well into the future. And being it is a safety net/insurance on a social scale, everyone should have to pay into it for their entire wage, with no cap. It’s a social entity. The wealthy are that way because of the lower classes and they should be willing to do their part to keep this country and all of it’s working class on a decent level of financial security. In fact, the wealthy in this country should follow the lead of those 17 or so billionaires who have pledged to give 50% of their wealth to charities. Whether they think so or not, they do owe it to the lesser people of this great country, in order to keep it a great country.