Alan Simpson Could Not Get on a Jury

ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS
8815 16th Street, NW, 4th Floor Washington, D.C. 20006 (202) 637-5399 www.retiredamericans.org


For Immediate Release Contact: David Blank (202) 637-5275
August 31, 2010 dblank@retiredamericans.org


Retiree Leader: Alan Simpson Could Not Get on a Jury

Slurs Toward Women, Seniors Disqualify Service on Fiscal Commission


The following statement was issued today by Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, who late last week wrote President Obama to demand the resignation of Alan Simpson as Co-Chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Simpson referred to Social Security as “a milk cow with 310 million tits" and told a prominent advocate for older women to, “call when you get honest work.”

“There is not a judge in this country that would allow Alan Simpson to serve on a jury if Social Security were on trial.

“Co-chairing a presidential panel is serious business. Much like serving on a jury, it requires a fair, balanced, and honest evaluation of the evidence. By this reasonable yardstick, Alan Simpson has disqualified himself from serving on this commission.

“Simpson’s remarks were not only deeply hurtful and inaccurate, but they clearly compromise his ability to objectively weigh the arguments presented to the commission during its deliberations. His conduct is unbecoming someone trusted with this level of responsibility, and it is time for President Obama to replace him with someone with a greater sense of comportment and impartiality.”

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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.

SOAR Member Kenneth Kovack on Social Security

Without A Net

Tom Hayhurst for Northeast Indiana

Let's Keep Social Security Safe from the Right Wingers

Thank God for Social Security

Letter to the Editor - Starke County Leader

Retirees of NIPSCO who are on Medicare Part D, often find themselves entering the infamous “donut hole”, which was the result of the Republican answer to our seniors difficulty in paying for the high costs of prescription drugs and where seniors have to pay the full premium but get no benefits. Thanks to President Obama and the Democrats, those finding themselves in the infamous donut hole this year will receive $250 and next year will get their brand name prescriptions at half price. By the year 2020 this ill conceived donut hole will be completely closed.

The new health care law is not easy to fully understand, but wanting to fully understand it is certainly no reason for Talia Reed in her letter of June 17 in the Leader to criticize our State Representative, Nancy Dembowski for wanting to do just that.

Then, in the July 22 issue, Talia Reed once again wrote a letter to The Leader criticizing our State Representative, Nancy Dembowski, for having received a poor rating from the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce.

Good grief!! If I want a map - I’ll go to the Chamber of Commerce, but if I want someone who will look out for the interests working men and women and retirees, I’ll put my money on Nancy Dembowski every time. Name one organization that works harder than the Chamber of Commerce to deny unemployment compensation for someone who loses a job, or fights harder to keep the minimum wage rates as low as possible, or works harder to keep Workers Compensation benefits at miserably low levels when a worker get hurts on the job, or works harder to deny the right of workers to form a union. Nope - the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce is no friend of workers.

The U.S. Chamber is even worse. It’s the nation’s most powerful business lobbying organization. It is a key ally of the Bush-era corporate agenda that has empowered Big business at the expense of workers. They’re the ones that aired the lies about so called “death panels” in the new health care law. They keep the pressure on state Chambers to increase corporate subsidies, lower corporate taxes, go slow on law enforcement of consumer, investor and environmental protection laws, and they fight tooth and nail to keep workers from organizing.

Get it? Businesses and corporations have their organization, the Chamber of Commerce, but they do everything in their power to keep their employees from organizing.

Well, there’s one thing that would get me out to work against Nancy Dembowski, and that is if the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce was to give her a high rating. Until then, I’ll work to ensure that Nancy Dembowski continues to provide that necessary check and balance in Indiana.

Nancy Dembowski commented in her letter that local Chambers do lots of great things for local communities and businesses and her comments were directed to State and National Chambers, but you see, Nancy Dembowski works for working families and retirees. That’s why the Chamber gave her a poor rating. And that’s why I’m working to ensure she keeps her job.

Note: Nancy Dembowski is the Indiana State Representative for Indiana State House District 17

Thanks to Democrats

House Passes Jobs Bill for States, Obama Set to Sign

Posted By Mike Hall On August 10, 2010 @ 3:28 pm In Economy, In the States, Legislation & Politics | No Comments

After months of Republican obstruction ^[1] in the Senate, vital aid to states facing massive budget shortfalls ^[2] and layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers, public employees, police officers and firefighters is on its way to the White House for President Obama’s signature. The bill just passed the House by 247-161 ^[3] a few minutes ago. Says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

Simply put, this vote keeps us on the path to economic recovery….Republicans who continue to fight for tax cuts for the super rich did everything in their power to defeat funding for teachers and firefighters, adding to the laundry list of anti-jobs votes they’ve taken.

Read Trumka’s full statement here ^[4].

BTW, it’s fully paid for in part by closing costly corporate tax loopholes that allow corporations to ship American jobs overseas. Works for us. Too bad so many Republicans think it’s a bad idea.

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Article printed from AFL-CIO NOW BLOG: http://blog.aflcio.org

URL to article: http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/08/10/house-passes-jobs-bill-for-states-obama-set-to-sign/

URLs in this post:

[1] Republican obstruction: http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/08/05/senate-sends-state-aid-teachers-jobs-bill-to-house/

[2] budget shortfalls: http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/07/27/republican-blockade-of-medicaid-worsens-states-budget-crises/

[3] 247-161: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll518.xml

[4] here: http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/prsptm/pr08102010.cfm

Republicans announce Economic Policy

What is their policy?

1. Maintain tax cuts for the rich.
2. Pay for this tax cut by soaking the middle class.
3. Repeal the Medical Insurance law.
4. Amend the constitution whenever it doesn't suit them.
   
5. Raise the Social Security retirement age to 70 years old.
6. Always vote no.
7. Do things the way Republicans did under George W. Bush
   

What a bunch of clods.

Joe Donnelly, My Congressman

Corporate Traitors vs. Working Class Heroes

At the Honeywell Corp. plant in Metropolis, IL, workers process "yellow
cake" uranium into a highly refined "green salt" for the atomic power
industry and nuclear weapons.

The United Steelworkers have been negotiating with Honeywell for months.
Despite an offer by the union to continue working without an agreement,
corporate "greed-heads" locked out the workers.

These workers have performed this dangerous work for over fifty years.
There is growing proof that workers, families and local residents have a
cancer rate much higher than normal. Any clues?

During war-time, unions give up raises and agree to "no-strike" clauses and
pay freezes. US Steel, Ford, GM, Alcoa, and others continue to make huge
profits from war production.

What would the public say about a union that went on strike against the
steel, aluminum, aircraft, or automotive industry during time of war? They
would be reviled. People would demand the greedy "union thugs" return to
work.

Currently, the United States is in TWO WARS that have killed over six
thousand Americans. If this plant does not produce, it could potentially
endanger National Security. Where are the "patriots" and Tea Baggers in
this - crying out against unpatriotic Honeywell?

Honeywell CEO David M. Cote got $9.74 million last year. That's almost $45
thousand per worker at the Metropolis plant.

It's time for Honeywell executives to give up some of their million dollar
incomes and do the right thing for the people that really earn profits and
make the sacrifices for the corporation - the workers.


Gary Gaines
132 South Thorngate Dr.
Granite City, IL 62040

618-931-6609
1union2win@charter.net

Joe Donnelly For Congress: Hoosiers