Simpson and Bowles: The Wrong Solution

On Morning Joe this morning, Erskin Bowles and Alan Simpson, the co chairs of the deficit reduction committee carried on their war on Social Security. Simpson said,

" Look, if people talk to you about earmarks and things like that, just let them blather. You are talking about around 5% of the hole we are in. If you really want to trim the deficit, you have to go to the meat of the matter. Social Security and Medicare are running out of money."

And this man is in charge? Any fool knows three things.

1. Defense spending is by far the biggest slice of the budget, not Social Security and Medicare.

2. Social Security is self-funded. It would be just fine if the government had not dipped into the fund in order to hide budget expenses for other programs. Social Security benefits are not spending, they are payments toward a debt. People have paid designated portions of their paychecks in order to assure that they could draw payments when they reach a certain age. This is the definition of insurance, not welfare.

3. Social Security will not run out of funds when they say it will. It will pass the point where it can pay full benefits. It could still pay partial payments for years more.

These gentlemen have been retired too long from public service. They are completely out of touch with conditions in this country. Like the others that get appointed to Presidential Commissions, they are very rich and live in a different world than regular people. They usually don't know the price of milk, eggs or any groceries for that matter. They don't deal with problems that face most of us on a daily basis. They have people to handle those things for them. They are out of touch. I would someday love to see "Joe Schmoe from Kokomo" sit on one of these committees. Particularly committees that can take away our livelihood. I suspect that if regular citizens formed this committee, an entirely different agenda of cuts in spending would be presented.

For years now, Congress has robbed the Social Security fund to the point that it is in trouble. But that funding has been used for anything and everything except for what it was intended. That raiding of the fund is the big secret they don't want to mention. They would say that is water under the bridge. Well, that water is the same water that is supposed to keep the retired afloat. And they just keep draining that pond.

 

Comments

[Rgo]

12:00 PM on 11/19/2010

Out of touch is right. We need something like Undercover Boss, maybe call it Undercover Legislator or Undercover Deficit Commission Hack. And have them either try to live on $10 an hour or find a job at their age and live while living on unemployment, before it expires.

[R.W. Sanders]

04:16 PM on 11/19/2010

Usually I answer comments sooner, but I've been indisposed this morning. Sometimes I think that it would be interesting to write a piece researching the personal biographies of all congressmen and particularly senators, to compare their backgrounds with an average member of their electorate. By comparing to a local average within their district, it enables to somewhat account for different economic standards that exist throughout the country. I'm thinking that I would find that all are among the very highest on the wealth standard in their areas. Might take more research than I am willing to attempt.
Nevertheless, these people are soon corrupted by wealth even if they come from the people. Very few can go against their baser nature to resist the gold and glamor. And in many cases, the ladies of the night. Most importantly though, I would like to know whom has managed to keep their morals and ethics in tact. Are there any on Capitol Hill that have maintained their dignity?

Well, now I guess I have some work to do. I have become enthralled with my own question.