Labor & Employment Law

Simpson Still Needs to be Sacked from Commission

By Mike Hall

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.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on August 30, 2010 (boomark / email).