Simpson's Social Security Video Rant: Why It's Important

[depakid]

A video of retired Sen. Alan Simpson's foulmouthed rant toward activist Alex Lawson is making the Internet rounds, as well it should: The sheer audacity and rudeness of the guy makes this clip "must-see TV." It's a political bloopers reel (it can be seen at the bottom of this post).

But, while Simpson's outrageousness makes the video entertaining, here's what makes it important: Alan Simpson is one of two chairs of a bipartisan commission created by President Obama to study the Federal deficit. His comments reveal a number of very important things about his biases, his tendency to distort and mislead, and his ideological extremism. These traits are likely to taint the Commission's work - work which has great implications for the future.

Your future.

Simpson is the former Republican Senator from Wyoming, but those who hope that Simpson's biases will be offset by his Democratic counterpart are probably in for a big disappointment. As Robert Kuttner reports, Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles was finalizing a deal with New Gingrich to cut Social Security when the Monica Lewinsky scandal derailed their agreement.

Alan's one of the Wyoming Simpsons, although on this video he sounds more like one of the Springfield Simpsons. (D'oh!) Here's what his comments reveal, besides an irascible personality: That he wants to create a sense of crisis around Social Security, that raiding Social Security to pay for other government expenditures is perfectly fine with him ... even though he's supposedly a "small government" conservative, that he's entered an Orwellian world where cutting Social Security isn't really "cutting" it, and that he'll use absurd rhetorical games to defend his position.

Much more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/simpsons-social-security_b_617841.html

[yurbud]

1. it's time to tell Obama enough with the bipartisan bullshit

The GOP's ideas for Social Security, Medicare, and most other social programs are well-known: abolish them or privatize them so that taxpayer dollars go directly into the pocket of the already wealthy.

Obama needs to man up, say what he wants done, and if it's not progressive, don't hide behind the skirt of the conservative Norman Bates.

Why are DLCers so afraid to admit that their only ideas are the GOP's (only with a little lube and novocaine to make the corporate rape less painful)?

[Enthusiast]

3. I grow weary of constantly telling Obama.

Any Democrat worthy of the name would know it is way way way wrong to listen to these Republican extremists. It's all part of the plan or it would not be happening.

Like most baby boomers, I've already paid for my social security. The agreement by Reagan and Tip was to pay extra so we would correct the social security 'problem'. We were not to have any additional problems. Trouble is they spent the surplus on tax cuts for millionaires and unnecessary wars.

We should not accept any significant changes to social security while allowing Wall Street and the military industrial complex to rob us blind.

And don't tell me it is only because Obama is trying to be bipartisan. Because that would be bullshit of the highest order.

[depakid]

5. You're not the only one who thinks that way

This quote pretty well sums it up:

Any chance you could take your mandate and put it to work protecting the public, while permitting the Republicans to fulfill the mandate they got to go sit in Siberia for a while? Any chance that you could for once not bring predators to the negotiating table while leaving those who fight for the public interest standing at the White House gate? Any chance you could do away with negotiating tables altogether, and just take some serious actions to benefit the country - you know, like actually using the powers of your office?

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/06/18-1

[BlueMTexpat]

8. If only ... .

Getting rid of Rahm would be a good first step.
Replacing him with an actual Democrat would be a great second step.

[Enthusiast]

12. It would be a great mood changer

for millions of us.

[Enthusiast]

11. That says it brilliantly.

What I can't fathom is why President Obama does or doesn't do the things he does. What motivates him to act against the interests of those that elected him?

[depakid]

19. Ms. Depa's thinks that he's always wanted to be accepted as part of the country club crowd

and someone who, in the 1970's or 80's, would have (at least wanted to) run as a moderate Republican. I didn't buy into that at first- had my own take on it, but the record seemed to support her insight. Hard to dismiss a theory that's backed up by so many facts and actions.

[yurbud]

7. it's because the DLC & GOP have the same employer, so it is more like office politics than politics

both are trying to suck up to the boss and elbowing each other, hiding each other's work, and tattling to get ahead. We are just the innocent bystanders.

[Enthusiast]

14. We can only hope

that the American people soon recognize that this common 'employer' is the problem.

[Daveparts still]

17. Whenever

a fellow tells me he's bipartisan, I know he's going to vote against me.
Harry S. Truman

[Faryn Balyncd]

2. Will we do nothing when the commission returns a Rape SS bill to a lame duck Congress in December?

[Enthusiast]

4. Please suggest a course of action

to deal with these criminal fucks that stole 'our' money?

Funny how Republicans were willing to spend way more than they took in in revenue because they could rob social security. They are the exact opposite of fiscally responsible, Reagan, Bush The First and Bush The Second. Criminal fucks, one and all. Thieves.

[glitch]

6. General strike until they give it back and bring the thieves to justice.

And if that can't be done everyone, but especially the unemployed and homeless (make the corpoliticians face their victims), should make their way to state capitols for silent(because I think silence is scarier than chanting) massive sit-ins.

[ShamelessHussy]

9. that would do it, but our unions have been decimated, and no one can afford to strike now

i think we are gonna have to hit bottom first, another year or 2 when millions of americans have exhausted their benefits and have nothing else to loose.

:'(

[glitch]

16. You're probably right, but this Gulf Oil Gasher might rile everyone a bit sooner.

Everybody I talk to, right and left, overly solvent and otherwise, is sick and angry about it.

[Enthusiast]

13. Silence would be frightening.

I get your meaning. I like the term "corpoliticians". First I've heard it.

[glitch]

15. Made it up, not to say someone else hasn't also made it up.

Sometimes I call them corpulant hybrids, or corpulants (works for both the corpoliticians and their corporate masters). Somehow I think they might find it less flattering than their self-promoting "elites", doncha think so? :evilgrin:

[fasttense]

10. A little Fact about Social Security that you don't want to know.

The retirement age under Social Security is 70 years old , right now.

Why doesn't anyone bring this up? It was changed by Ronnie Raygun while he cut the cost of Social Security for those making over $100,000 a year. Don't believe me? Look at your next Social Security statement that you get in the mail.

Notice that unless you wait until you are 70 years old, you will get less Social Security every month. You lose anywhere between 20 to 75% of your Social Security for every year you retire that is earlier than 70 years old.

And it's different for each age group. The amount you lose if you retire before 70 years old varies by each age group.

Nice trick isn't it? We can all go around pretending full retirement age is 62 or 65 but it is really 70 under Social Security.

So when the best damn RepubliCON President we ever had, President Obama, decide to raise the Social Security retirement age, how much higher is he going to raise it? 75? 80? 90? 100?

Here's to throwing boxes at Wal-Mart until you are 90.

Thanks President Obama, the RepubliCONS couldn't have done it without you.

[burnsei sensei]

18. From the people who ended welfare as we know it

Now Social Security gets the Third Way treatment too.
I'm sure we'll hear every warmed-over Republican idea about Social Security put into practice in order to eviscerate the program.
Because that's what Third Way politicians do--
They mouth liberal talking points.
They look over Republican ideas.
They institute them under a liberal aegis.
Result: the right is enraged (they're enraged any way) and the left is exiled.
Obama will turn Social Security into a corporation-- one with interests for itself as huge as AHIP's members but not as large as BP.
Because after all, we know service is not as important as production.
Nor should it ever be as well paid.