Immediately upon returning from my vacation, I rushed over to the Johnson County Library in Overland Park to see what I could do to protest billionaire hedge fund mogul Peter G. Peterson’s sham town hall meetings, which were set up in twenty cities yesterday for the purpose of undermining Social Security and Medicare benefits. It was pleasing to see contingents from the Older Women’s League and MoveOn.org carrying on a great protest in front of the library where “delegates” with passes to the event entered the meeting. THANK THE OLDER WOMEN’S LEAGUE AND MOVEON.ORG FOR BEING ON THE CASE! THESE GROUPS DESERVE OUR SUPPORT!
Sharon Lockhart (with OWL) helped me find a pass for entering the event (only selected applicants were allowed in the meeting and one of the protesters let me have his pass). This meeting could only be tolerated by the most wonkiest of wonks. It was hours of working through the U.S. budget and coming up with ways of reducing the Federal deficit by 1.3 trillion dollars. Of course, the program was set up to lead participants in the direction of whacking Social Security benefits. It was a very cleverly and deviously designed affair. In fact, it is scary to see what these people can do with unlimited resources for fancy PR and manipulation of the masses.
All twenty cities were connected by video. Leaders of the affair were in Philadelphia. They provided a lot of very slick hoopla, which gave the whole thing a sort of festive atmosphere. Every now and then they would pop up with some blathering from politicians like senators Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Gregg Judd of New Hampshire, both of whom told us that it was our responsibility to find ways reduce the budget deficit. I found that rather interesting. Both of these guys voted for the senseless war in Iraq, deregulation of the financial industry, Bush Tax Cuts, and the Medicare Part D give away to the Pharmaceutical Industry – all of which is responsible for our current budget deficit.
This is serious stuff. As does President Obama, Conrad and Judd have a commission working on the budget deficit. It was made very clear that these sham town halls are working in conjunction with these commissions. Alice Rivlin, OMB director in the Clinton Administration, is acting as their expert/lackey in residence. The House and Senate will use these commissions as cover for doing to the elderly poor what they did to poor families during the Clinton Administration.
I WILL BE BLOGGING ABOUT THESE SHAM TOWN HALLS AND DEFICIT REDUCTION COMMISSIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
I too attended this devious event. Surprisingly the call to get rid of Social Security and Medicare did find the support for such reckless thinking. Privatizing is just another way to move OUR tax dollars into then hands of private industry. Since when has private industry with CEO’s and shareholders saved any money?
ALso If my memory serves me well 51% of attendees nationwide called for reducing the defense budget. That was also a shocker considering this event was sponsored by the ultra conservative.
Not one person at my table would support any changes to Social Security or Medicare. Dumping Medicare Part D would be good.
I had entered this meeting with some preconceived notions.
I was pleased that the greater majority appeared to be not easily manipulated by the ultra right wing thinkers. People at my table were insulted by the slick talkers leading this parade.
I’d say the Peter G. Peterson thinkers were somewhat foiled
by the attendees. Again I was astounded.
Knowing this movement is out there along with the Koch brothers circus we’ve a lot work to do.
I don’t think the Peter G. Peterson folks will be foiled by the attendees. They will be able to package the results of the day’s work in a manner that suits their interests. The crux of the issue is what to do about the $3 trillion owed to the Social Security Trust Fund by the U.S. Government. This money was borrowed by Congress to cover the huge tax cuts provided to the rich by successive Congresses since the Reagan Administration. The following two paragraphs were buried deep in some of the materials distributed at the America Speaks town halls:
“The surpluses that Social Security has been generating over the past two decades have been invested in special issue treasury bonds. The bonds represent the debt that the United States owes to its citizens and which it must pay back, with interest, when the funds are needed to pay benefits. Although the bonds cannot be sold on the open market, they are backed by the full faith and credeit of the United States, just like bonds sold to private investors.”
“As the baby boom generation begins to retire, social Security will need to redeem the bonds in order to pay benefits. Because the government is spending more than it brings in from revenue, policymakers will need to find the money by raising new revenue, reducing benefits, or borrowing more, which will add to the deficit. Ensuring the solvency of the system is the core challenge of Social Security reform.” (page 14, Options Workbook distributed at the America Speaks town hall meeting)
Translated, this means that the super-rich in the U.S. do not want to pay more taxes to cover the $3 trillion owed to the Social Security Trust Fund. This $ 3 trillion was borrowed because of tax cuts given to the wealthiest Americans.
What about Social Security? I find this bit on Social Security
quite interesting. Keeping it close by might be good as this matter will be talked about.
Privatization would cost taxpayers $4 trillion,place taxpayers insurance money at risk and wreck the economy)
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2005/0505orr.html
Correction from my first post:
I too attended this devious event. Surprisingly the call to get rid of Social Security and Medicare did NOT find the support for such reckless thinking.
Thank you…..
Can the ladies start a national movement now to oust all the tea partiers come election time so the president can do more effective legislations to benefit ALL Americans and not just the top one percent of the greedy selfish no caring wealthy senate and house members.