"Greedy Geezers" Lead Nationwide Protest!

Angry Seniors Lead Nationwide Protest;

as Fiscal Commission Meets in DC

On Tuesday in Washington, DC, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform met for the first time.  Erskine Bowles, former Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, and retired Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair the Commission.  Click on THIS LINK for a list of the 18 members who make up the panel. 

The Commission could determine the future of Social Security; however, after Tuesday's opening session, it plans to hold most of its meetings outside of the public eye, behind closed doors.  Older American activists have been contacting their elected officials, saying that the Commission's deliberations - and the future of Social Security - are too important to be kept secret.  

Alliance for Retired Americans members sent more than 3,600 letters to their elected officials driving their point home this week.  "We must bring this new Commission's meetings out into the sunshine, so everyone can see firsthand just how important Social Security is to Americans of all ages," said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance. 

Alliance chapters across the country acted to draw attention to the closed meetings as well as the threat of cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. 

In California, letters were delivered in person to Congressional offices all over the state.  New Hampshire Alliance members protested in front of the office of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH).  Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, and South Carolina Alliance members hand-delivered letters to the offices of several elected officials, including Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and John Spratt (D-SC).  The Iowa Alliance published letters to Illinois editors, and the New Mexico Alliance was invited to voice their opinions on television.  Other states also contributed energetically to the effort.  "Thank you all for your creativity and work," said Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance.

Former Sen. Simpson aggravated seniors last weekend on Fox News Sunday, when he complained about older Americans who are concerned with the possibility of cuts to their Social Security benefits.  "Where do I get my mail?" he asked.  "From these old cats 70 and 80 years old who are not affected in one whiff.  People who live in gated communities and drive their Lexus to the Perkins restaurant to get the AARP discount. This is madness."

AgCom Candidate Gilbert takes Republican Berman to School on Immigration!

Imagine a scene from one of those glorious old WWII black-and-white espionage movies where the hero's car is halted at a check point and an overbearing and sneering gestapo agent in a black leather top coat and black Homburg approaches the car and hisses..."your papers, please!

We fought a world war so that freedom would prevail and such human rights abuses and excesses against liberty would not find their way to America.  But now they have.  In Arizona.  And some pinheads in Texas want to copy.

Now fast forward to modern day, technicolor Arizona with a draconian new immigration law that mandates law enforcement officers verify the citizenship of anyone they "suspect" of being in the country illegally. White Stetson replaces black Homburg, western cut shirt and gold badge replaces black leather top coat, and nasal western twang replaces the Germanic sneer, but the effect is the same. We do not have to give it a name or label. Back then, it was called Fascism or Nazism and we fought and died to prevent its ugliness from coming to our country.  But it has.  In Arizona.  And some pinheads in Texas want to copy.

We also engaged in a nearly five decades long cold war against the Soviet Union's "Stalinism" where citizens were required to carry their identity papers and be able to "prove" their citizenship at all times. Again, America stood firm against the assault on human rights and individual freedom and led the world in opposing fascism.  Now it has made its way to America, in Arizona, and some pinheads in Texas want to follow suit.

OK, you say, that's Arizona, and the heat makes them do nutty things from time-to-time, but this is Texas where people don't squat on their spurs or kick cow patties. Well, says I, our very own arch-conservative nincompoop, and renowned xenophobe, state representative, Leo Berman (R-Dist. 6 - Smith County) is mindlessly posturing himself in favor of Texas adopting a law like Arizona's.

Now, before we continue, I have to acknowledge that I hold popinjay, Berman, in a singularly high state of personal and professional disregard and scorn. He has twice attempted to engage me in a battle of wits, and on each occasion, I found him only half-armed!

Event One.

Event Two. 

On Wednesday of this week, Democratic candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Hank Gilbert, took Berman to school on the dire impact such a law would have on Texas Agribusiness and how those wholly negative effects would resonate throughout the entire state economy.  "...talk about driving up food costs, slashing tax revenues, and damaging out economy, then Leo Berman's bill is exactly what you want.  I can't imagine someone proposing something so irresponsible or damaging to Texas agriculture," Gilbert said.

According to Gilbert, the unadorned truth is that undocumented immigrants comprise a considerable portion of the agricultural labor force and if they can't move about freely without constant threat of police action, they will go elsewhere for work  "These men and women help Texas grow food not just for our state, but for the rest of the nation".

"Texas doesn't need this.  Human beings from south of our border who are coming and working in Texas-who contribute more in tax revenue than they cost the state in services-deserve some dignity.  It is not the responsibility of the state to enforce federal immigration laws." Gilbert said.

Gilbert noted that according to a report issued by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 2006, "undocumented immigrants residing in Texas have a positive economic impact on the state in excess of $17 billion per year, and a positive financial impact on the state budget.  "Undocumented immigrants bring more to the Texas economy and the state than they cost the state in government services", Gilbert said.

"In addition", Gilbert says, "...forcing local government entities such as police departments, sheriff's departments, and county jails to check immigration status and detain undocumented individuals would be cost significant sums of money annually that would have to be raised by increasing taxes."

You would think that a retired colonel of the Army Artillery Corps, as Berman so proudly boasts, would not be half-cocked when trying to release a broadside.  Now, you would, wouldn't you?

Financial Reform: A Good Thing For Seniors, Boomers, & Working Families

Financial Reform Bill Will Protect Seniors,

Retiree Leader Says

Retirement Security Devastated in Recent Years

Below are the prepared remarks of Alliance for Retired Americans President Barbara J. Easterling, who today joined Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Senators in support of a financial reform bill.

  

On behalf of the 4 million members of the Alliance for Retired Americans, I am proud to support S 3217.  It is time for certain Senators to act in the best interests of people, not profits.

Seniors are struggling to get by in today’s economy.  They are the victims of years of unchecked greed and abuse on Wall Street.  The stock market plunge and the collapse of housing values have combined to devastate their retirement security.

Many retirees dedicated their whole lives to companies who were pressured by Wall Street into gambling away their pensions and savings.  While this was happening our government just stood idly by, like the lookout man at a bank robbery.

Seniors are increasingly the victims of financial scams and marketing abuses.  They are looking to the federal government for help.  They want to finally feel like the government is on their side.

This legislation would do just that.  It would require that the terms and conditions of loans and credit cards be written in plain English.  It would put in place strict new rules to protect seniors from gimmicks and predatory lending.  And it would create a powerful new federal watchdog to stand on the side of consumers.  It would provide badly-needed financial education to people of all ages, including seniors.

But older Americans care about more than just themselves.  We worry about our children and grandchildren in these difficult times.  We want them to be able to find a good job and be able to save money to buy a home, start a family, and have a safe and secure retirement when their working days are done.

Mr. Majority Leader, our current financial system is failing our nation’s seniors.  The Alliance for Retired Americans strongly supports this bill.  It is time for the Senate to act.

  

The Alliance for Retired Americans is a national organization that advocates for the rights and well being of over 4 million retirees and their families.

Greedy Geezers to Simpson: " We Want Open Government!"

This morning a new Federal commission is meeting for the first time, and it could determine the future of Social Security.

The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a bi-partisan group charged with recommending ways to lower the federal debt.  No retiree likes debt, but we should be worried because some are urging the panel to cut Social Security to reduce the budget deficit.

Unfortunately this new Commission is making it hard for us to follow its work.  It plans to hold most of its meetings outside of the public eye, behind closed doors in the U.S. Capitol.


In addition to the secrecy, there are other troubling things related to this commission: One co-chairman, Alan Simpson, has characterized seniors concerned about the future of Social Security for their children and grandchildren as "Greedy Geezers"; another member, Jeb Hensarling of Texas was a protege' of Phil Gramm, the architect of the Reagan/Bush deregulation which contributed to the current "Great Recession"; all of this amid erroneous presuppositions that Social Security is "Broke" and that Medicare is "Broken".

Click HERE to tell your elected officials that this Commission's deliberations - and the future of Social Security - are too important to be kept secret.  The meetings should be open to the public, and there should be hearings across the country to listen to the American people.

Social Security is one of our nation's greatest success stories, and there is no reason to hide it away.  Act today to send these meetings out into the sunshine, so everyone can see firsthand just how important Social Security is to Americans of all ages.

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After The Health Care Rout - GOP Becomes the Moles in "Whack-a-Mole"

As an older, generously avuncular sort of guy, I am blessed, every so often, to be invited to a child's birthday celebration at one of those pizza joints loaded with kid games.

I am blessed, because, on these occasions, I get to turn loose that wild-eyed little rat, my inner child, and play my favorite game: Whack-A-Mole!

If you've never played this game, you truly are deprived. You stand in front of a table like structure with holes in it, holding a club much like a boxing glove on a stick. Little mole heads pop up and taunt you and you score a point if you pummel it before it retreats back into its hole. Whack-A-Mole.

The radical right and bleating-mouth conservatives, now that they were so sorely thumped and spanked on health care, are like the typically sociopathic 10-year old, and in a tantrum and snit with their nasty little mole-heads popping up in the damnedest places as they target Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for their screaming fits.

Consider this press release form the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans:

Retirees Concerned About Gingrich Fund-Raiser for Tim Burns

Point to Former Speaker’s Anti-Social Security and Anti-Medicare Stances

The following statement was issued today by Jean Friday, a Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania resident, who is the President of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans:

“Pennsylvania retirees need to keep a close eye on 12th District candidate Tim Burns when he campaigns tomorrow in Latrobe with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“Burns will be on the receiving end of thousands of dollars raised by Gingrich at a $4,800 per person reception, so it is only reasonable for Pennsylvania seniors to ask Burns if he agrees with Gingrich’s views on Social Security and Medicare.

“Gingrich once said he wanted to cut Medicare to the point where it ‘withers on the vine,’ and he has long championed a privatized Social Security tied to the whims of the stock market. One look at the chaos and scandals on Wall Street in recent years shows just how devastating it would have been for Pennsylvania retirees if Gingrich had his way.

“Social Security and Medicare are two of America’s greatest success stories. They have helped generations of older Americans afford to see a doctor, fill a prescription, and retire with a sense of dignity and stability. The ideas Gingrich has been advocating for years are badly out of touch with the basic needs of seniors here in our state.

“People in my generation judge someone by the company that they keep. If Mr. Burns is going to stand with Newt Gingrich – and raise thousands of dollars for his campaign from Gingrich supporters – Mr. Burns owes it to retirees in southwestern Pennsylvania to tell us where he stands on these issues.”

Keep your eyes open and your reflexes sharply attuned.  These "moles" are popping up everywhere!