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Alan Simpson: Social Security Is 'A Milk Cow With 310 Million Tits'
Alan Simpson believes that Social Security is "like a milk cow with 310 million tits," according to an email he sent to the executive director of National Older Women's League Tuesday morning. Simpson co-chairs the deficit commission, which is considering various proposals to cut Social Security benefits.
Alan Simpson, former Republican Senator from Wyoming and Co-Chair of Obama's deficit commission which is considering various proposals to cut Social Security benefits. Simpson's email, which OWL chief Ashley Carson released publicly, (PDF) was sent in response to an April blog post Carson wrote for the Huffington Post. Carson
criticized Simpson for repeatedly describing his Social Security
opponents as "Pink Panthers," arguing that the description had sexist
connotations.
His email is peppered with exclamation points and condescension. At one point he urged Carson to read a certain graph, "which I hope you are able to discern if you are any good at reading graphs."
Simpson concludes by implying that leading a major organization dedicated to the interests of middle-aged and elderly women is not "honest work."
"If you have some better suggestions about how to stabilize Social Security instead of just babbling into the vapors, let me know," he writes. "And yes, I've made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know 'em too. It's the same with any system in America. We've reached a point now where it's like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!"
It's unclear from Simpson's email if he means Social Security is the milk cow or if he's referring to America in general. A Simpson assistant responded to a HuffPost email saying that Simpson was traveling and unable to comment immediately.
Simpson's tirade continues a pattern of erratic behavior that threatens to undermine the commission's work. In June, he unleashed a stream of error-riddled invective on a Social Security advocate wielding a camera outside a closed-door commission meeting, leading Paul Krugman to conclude (happily) that Simpson was killing the commission.
OWL is now calling on the former Republican Senator from Wyoming to resign.
Watch Simpson berate a Social Security advocate:
154 Comments so far
Show AllSimpson is a despicable, arrogant, ingrate cretin and his appointment to the Cat Food Commission is an insult to the American people. A politician who tells anyone to earn an honest living is derisive, insulting, arrogant, abusive and disdainful of the American people whom are ignorant, intellectually lazy and mindlessness to know they are derided by politicians, business and pretend christian churchianity preachers with false doctrines. They have institutionalized mindlessness which gives it legitimacy and the American public is too stupid to know they don't know the difference between thought and truths. The deficit is what funds the Pentagon/spy agencies. JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY, 400 lobbyists in DC in 1980, 45,000 today all creating and chasing the deficit $'w. It was Reagan that initiated the huge deficits, which Simpson voted for 100%, while simultaneously increasing the Pentagon/spy agencies budget. Social Security and Medicare are self funding and Social Security would be forever solvent it the earning cap were lifted so that the wealthy paid their fair share rather than being subsidized by the lower wage earners as they are now. Simpson and his Cat Food Commission will never address the truth about deficit spending. Pentagon spending facilitates graft and corruption for the politicians. President ObambyaBush is the chosen Democrat to destroy Social Security and he is the only Democrapic President never to vow to protect Social Security which is self funding.
Simpson was once a Senator. His constituency (Wyoming - go figure) just pulled the crank, voting year after year, over and over again for him. This is part of the reason why the US is in the sorry state it's in today. The man is useless, no wait, dangerous. In the discussion of the IOU's owed to SS, Simpson refers to them coming from borrowing for road maintenance. The interviewer brings the wars and the arms purchases which Simpson refers to as crap. Thanks Wyoming, thanks for this former Boy Scout, self-serving, self-entitled, hypocritical, prejudiced monkey named Simpson. Filled his pockets with gratuities, corporate largesse, and lobbyist cash. And he's just your average Senator. The fact that he's a Republican used to be a predictor of behavior and Weltanschauung. Not anymore.
And remember, it was Obama who appointed him to this commission and who keeps him there. Thanks Obama. And I also thank myself for voting for Obama, who is a believer and supporter of self-serving mediocrity.
I live in a world of Obamabots who will support Obama no matter how miserable he makes their lives and lives of their countrymen. It is refreshing to hear posters admit they regret voting for Obama. Hope will not reappear and change will not occur until more Americans admit they were mislead in 2008.
Unfortunately, most of those - if they DO, in fact, regret voting for Obama in 2008 - will in 2012 just vote for another "D", or in some cases switch and vote "R" as their way of "making up" for voting for him. And so the 2-party corporatist duopoly will continue, ad nauseum.
"We choose Pepsi, until we get upset with it, then we switch to Coke. When Coke disappoints us, we switch back to Pepsi."
"The definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over again, but expecting different results each time."
Americans.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
Sinclair Lewis, "It Cant Happen Here", 1935
The most flawed Democrat is a million times better than any Republican. And if Progressives intend to sit out the election in November, crooks and liars like Simpson will regain power and finish the job that Bush began. President Palin in 2012? Think about it Progressives.
'And if Progressives intend to sit out the election in November, crooks and liars like Simpson will regain power and finish the job that Bush began.'
I'm afraid it is Obama who is finishing the job bush began...right under our noses and with the blessings of dems like you.
Yes, the republicans are vile extremists, but too many dems are simply caving into their fear of republicans without holding to account the vile and extreme things obama and congress are doing. Obama's goons know it and spit on any opposition from their base. And they know they can get away with it because of political wimps like you, who will never fight back. Sorry, but it's the truth.
you said it diana.
support the greens and progressives not beholden to corporate interests.
support progressive groups and 3rd parties. the lesser of 2 evils party is still evil.
matt
galveston, tx
harris county green party
" too many dems are simply caving into their fear of republicans without holding to account the vile and extreme things obama and congress are doing."
Too many Dems are in cahoots, THAT is the problem ....
Wyoming has about 500,000 residents. They get 2 Senators, which makes it a very powerful state. The Senators, in my memory, are conservatives representing the oil and mining interests. They hobnob with other plutocrats in the luxurious resorts around Jackson, making policy, wearing expensive clothes, and basking in their superiority. Sometimes they let their contempt for us slip out and show.
Obama, on the other hand, is the master of measured (if untruthful) speech. He would not blurt out "lesser people" or say Social Security has 300 million "tits". But he always appoints guys like Simpson to carry out his agendas.
Joe
Alan Simpson is an asshole.
'Asshole' is being nice about it. Alan Simpson is the worst form of corporate whore, trying to position itself as the whoremaster of all Americans. In any decent country these swine would be strung up on the street posts. Here in the US he'll probably win an award or something. Maybe our 'president' could share his Peace Prize with him.
Responsibility lies with the president who appointed Simpson to his Catfood Commission.
So now it's the Catfood Commission? Out west we have been calling it the Soilent Green Commission.
Oh well, Yes it is just another for Obummer smoke-screen for his Corporate Masters. Who can't seem to decide how best to get rid of the other six-million of us so they can enjoy a clean and healthy planet, for themselves.
>^^<
But he is perfectly shielded and protected in his role as corporate whore by the institution of the US Senate. If you want to get rid of assholes like him, GET RID OF THE SENATE. The Senate is frankly a congregation of 100 such like minded asssouls, most of whom think like Simpson if they don't quite speak as frankly about their contempt for the average working man. Why, oh why do we put up with such a profoundly undemocratic and oligarchic institution. Undemocratic in its representation by state, undemocratic in its rules-the filibuster, undemocratic in its millionaire club constituency which we can clearly see from Simpson's words and demeanor hates the average working man if he gets uppity enough to assert his rights to a fair pay out of the money he has already put into the system.
and whoever flagged this comment, YOU are an asshole too.
Your flagging will do no good, as the CD moderators are almost certainly in agreement on this rather modest assessment of Simpson and not with a lurking would-be defender of Simpson, whoever you are.
Me, too!
Kay,
by way of contrast- -
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJQjY2yRpPs&feature=related
.
Trylon
Now some asshole flagged YOUR comment. Who are these motherflaggers?
I think calling Simpson an asshole does a real disservice to the asshole. The asshole is a humble body part that does its job helping to keep the body's system clean. Rather the opposite of Simpson, who I would say is an arrogant person who is fouling the body politic.
A really bad, painful, hemherroid.
simpson the asshole needs a pie in the face or a kick in the ass. maybe he needs both
matt
As bogi666 said, fully funding SS is quite a simple task - simply raise the earning cap from its present $125,000 (or whatever) to include EVERYONE, regardless of income. Boom - fixed. But, of course, that will never ever happen, as the #1 priority of Congress and every elected official in the federal government is to best serve the interests of the wealthy elite and the corporations. What wealthy politician - which is all of them - would vote to make themselves and all of their rich campaign contributors have to pay more in social security taxes?? NONE.
I wouldn't be surprised if they actually LOWERED the earning cap, to maybe $85,000, so that even more wealthy people could get out of paying into SS.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
Sinclair Lewis, "It Cant Happen Here", 1935
And apply the SS tax to investment income too!
The background of this spat is the fact that our economy is still in the doldrums: housing sales are down and unemployment is up again.
Has a scared White House concluded that a "Keynesian Cure" has failed and that the nation needs a "Friedmannian Cure" in response to the "Economic Shock of 2008"?
Has a scared White House concluded that "Deficit" will be a winning mantra for the Republicans in 2012?
If President Obama does not act immediately and forcefully to fire Simpson who serves at his pleasure he aligns himself with the "Friedmannian Cure" which will gut not only Social Security but Medicare and Medicaid and eventually his "Health Care Legislation" once the Republicans take over the Congress and the Presidency.
Elderly Americans, rise in protest and help to elect only representatives this year who will resist any attempts to screw your hard-won social protections by a vile administration because the "Simpsonian Cure" will eventually come before Congress in the form of an Obama-sponsored piece of robbery-legislation. Obama has never been secretive about his aim to crush Social Security as we know it because he believes that it only helps "upper middle class retirees".
SS/Medicare/Medicaid will all be gutted eventually, whether it is next year or next decade. By 2050 - mark my words - there will be no trace of those three things in America. This country is almost - almost - a full-fledged oligarchy/corporatocracy right now, and it is gaining speed. As it does, and the government becomes even more obscenely blatant about only protecting/furthering the interests of the wealthy elite, it will become easier and easier to destroy anything that helps the average American citizen who is NOT a wealthy elite or corporation.
Read the news, for crying out loud. Hundreds of cities are closing schools, eliminating days from the school week, firing teachers, going to for-profit charter school models, closing libraries, turning off street lights at dusk, eliminating public transportation, privatizing public services, etc, etc, etc. Isn't it obvious that the overall trend in this country is fuck the average American, and help the wealthy elite and for-profit corporations?
You think SS can survive this? Put down the joint.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
Sinclair Lewis, "It Cant Happen Here", 1935
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
Sinclair Lewis, "It Cant Happen Here", 1935
There is abundant evidence that Mr. Lewis's prescient novel is coming to pass: plutocratic oligarchy, a national press that is essentially the propaganda ministry for the Amerikkkan government, endless wars, a national police force (Blackwater), government surveillance, a prison building boom, erosion of civil liberties, torture--the list goes on.
There is so much truth in what you say. What is being done? What can be done? The people who are now the Ruling Class because 'they have the gold,' want to hold onto the power they have gained through luck, planning and dispersal of some of their gold - and they want more.
We, 'the lesser people' outnumber them, but we seem to have the idea that as individuals we can do nothing and that most demonstrations accomplish nothing but a little stir of attention and snide remarks.
Many of us thought Obama would be the leader who would get our country back for us. I don't know what happened to him, maybe getting blasted in the face with Bush's administration's messes to clean up, etc., made him timid. Or maybe we are too accustomed to Bush-style management: steam-roller. Whatever, he is not able to deliver for us 'lesser' folks. We need a combination of Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt.
What the Deficit Commission will have to do is convince the American Public of whatever reasons they come up with for why S.S., Medicare can't be saved. The truth behind their reasons is that all the funds have been drained to pay the military-industrial complex for the wars we keep finding ourselves in, and maybe the tax breaks that are due to expire 12/31/10, and could be some found its way into the cash registers of the Big Banksters and other Big Corporations, paying subsidies, etc.
Alan Simpson should have been left in his pasture, counting cow teats.
You are proposing giving up without a fight? There are a lot of us and we do all the useful work.
Joe
This may come to be, but it is very likely that before such a condition of governance occurs, the cohesion of the now federated 50 states will have ceased to exist and the unifying constitution will have become a memory.
Sadly, the Constitution and Bill of Rights are but memories now. Only we in our 70's remember when it worked.
A Canadian friend sent me a comment the other day. She said the United States had changed its symbol from the eagle to the skunk. "It is half black, half white, and everything it does stinks."
This is not such a bad thing. If we in CA can divide the state North/South so we keep our water or at least make the Southerners pay a fair price for their lifestyle choice, ie. living with too many in a desert.
Then we can throw out the Feds and we should have no trouble living within our means. No unfunded mandates, no more sending twice as much money out as we ever get back. Yes I think it could workout fine, for the Commonwealth of California.
>^^<
I will see you and the nation on the steps of the LIncoln Memorial
Don't you worry, Crowsnest, we seniors are READY TO DO BATTLE if Congress so much as touches the retirement WE PAID FOR!!!!
And if Obama has an idea of running for a second term, he BETTER NEVER LET CONGRESS TOUCH SOCIAL SECURITY!!!!!
Remember, Obama, you have VETO POWER . . . USE IT!!!!
Obama will never even ask where the veto pen is let alone use it.
Obama will be pleased when the Republicans take over control of Congress in 2011 and he can please his corporate paymasters with even more corporate welfare.
But.... Obama created the Catfood Commission specifically to close out SSI. In case anybody didn't know that. He is the puppet for Corporate persons everywhere. Neighther Obummer or his fatcat buddys care a whit what you thought you pay'd for. You want to see it look out over the landscape of Iraq and Afganistan, Eight years of borrow and steal from SS accounts to fund the war without end. Did anybody really think GW intended to pay it back out of pocket.
We've been had. again. :(
>^^<
....President Obama......fire Simpson....
Wish he would fire him, then we could all sit back and enjoy the fireworks.
I wonder if Sen. Alan Simpson has a drinking problem. Of course his behavior could be a result of diabetes or even a stroke. Maybe he has a severe psychiatric disorder. He should seek professional help immediately.
Naturally, since he was a member of that gang of whores called the Amerikkkan senate, he would have excellent health care and a life-long pension most of us can only dream about. Unfortunately, most of the rest of us must make do with dealing with insurance companies that have the ultimate decision of whether we live or die and, if we survive that, a social security check that leaves us the choice of eating cat food for dinner or paying the light bill.
Tom Joad, this comment reminds me of Jim Bunning, whose behavior and demeanor has been responsibly called into question for several years now.
He behaved so erratically during his 2004 campaign that for a brief time it was thought that he might withdraw.
See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34265-2004Oct15.html
But he was a hero to his Yahoo constituency after he stepped to the Senatorial mound last year and beaned extended unemployment benefits with a vicious slider.
Powerful old incumbents, or distinguished retirees, are at least nominally respected and obeyed even if they're obviously deranged.
Even Alan Greenspan's opinion is still respectfully solicited, and he's a proven mountebank and flim-flam artist who helped bring financial ruin to millions of ordinary unprivileged citizens to enrich himself and his bankster cohort. In a just world, Greenspan would either be behind bars or scavenging dumpsters for food.
It's one more proof of how fundamentally irrational our political culture is.
Found it; it's called Free Masonry! he's a 33rd degree with the key to the golden path, or golden secret, whatever they call it this week.
That's his major malfunuction I'm sure there are others. Like a deep seated fear of having to go home again and live with the people he's screwed.
>^^<
IMHO the senate is an organization that suckles at 100 teats of the government, and thousands of teats of the lobbyists and corporations. I guess that makes Mr. simpson a hypocrite, but then we all already knew that, didn't we.
Whatever else he may have intended, Senator Simpson has explained exactly why being an american has become such a miserable damned experience.
A milk cow with 310 tits sounds pretty good to me. Let's make the elitist wealthy pay their share in taxes, and stop waging war so that there will be plenty of milk in those tits. Right now there are just a few very fat cats (I mean cows), sucking all the milk dry from the few available tits. Let's face it, right now we have a country of socialism for the corporate wealthy.
I'd just like to know what Alan Simpson is doing in Obama's government. Did people like him have anything to do with Obama becoming president and the Democrats 'capturing' congress? Obama, what is wrong with you? No matter how much you are working 'for the man', this is too blatant. You do expect to be re-elected, don't you?
"A politician who tells anyone to earn an honest living is..." a hypocrite.
What Simpson seems to forget is that, no matter how many tits it has, it is our cow. We paid into SS. It's Simpson and his ilk who have robbed it.
But he is not only old and ugly, he seems to be senile as well. That is the real problem.
I do not think he is necessarily senile. That's how they talk about us when they are alone. They get used to it and lose touch with how it sounds to the lesser people.
Joe
Agreed, not the least bit of senility in his remarks. He basically said that SS is a big, evil socialistic program that breeds dependency and laziness and that the elderly need to get a job.
No different than what the quite un-senile Ayn Rand promoted.
Simpson is definitely not senile. He might be forgiven somewhat if this were true. He has always had a tongue like an adder and was cuttingly and openly sarcastic toward anyone who dared have the gall to disagree with him. He is simply of that breed of privileged white male who thinks he is above criticism but is entitled to vent his own spleen by showing utter contempt toward those he feels are his inferiors. He would happily give the axe to SS, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps and unemployment benefits or anything else that benefitted ordinary citizens. He is convinced a social safety net makes people lazy and irresponsible. Obama knew all this perfectly well when he chose him for this post. For whatever reasons we can only guess at, Obama finds Simpson useful.
It was the young wannabee frontman who appointed Simpson - an archetypal member of the old tax-cuts-for-the-wealthy Republican guard who is steeped in the petroleum industry. Obviously Simpson will never recommend cutting military spending nor raising tax rates on enormous incomes or on giant corporations. He will, as former appointees from Goldman Sachs, recommend solutions that protect wealth and abandon the rest of us.
I really want to know how the remaining supporters of Obama can rationalize this transparent foray against the Social Security system and the idea of some economic safety for the old.
Joe
Exactly, the commission was stacked with jerks who could be relied upon to recommend the things that our Corporatist-in-Chief will then have to "reluctantly" support, with some help from the immediate up or down vote that our majority leaders have arranged through clever legislation (amazing what they can do when they want to, isn't it?).
My grandparents depend on SS to make ends meet. My mom, a veteran, will be depending on it in a few years. I don't expect it to be there when I retire so I guess (health allowing) I'll just work and keep a job from someone younger than me while enjoying the pride that comes from tending the McDonald's drivethrough or whatever it is that old, poor people do for a living.