Simpson writes Dean Baker a (clueless) letter. What a horse's ass.

[chill_wind]

Simpson Ducks Comment as More Letters Emerge
By: David Dayen Wednesday August 25, 2010 7:44 am


Jane covered cat food commission co-chair Alan Simpson’s “milk cow with 310 million tits” comment directed at the head of OWL, and their subsequent petition to remove him from the co-chairmanship. That petition has nearly 1,000 signatures so far. Simpson has refused to comment on the matter.

It’s unclear from Simpson’s email if he means Social Security is the milk cow or if he’s referring to America in general. A Simpson assistant responded to a HuffPost email saying that Simpson was traveling and unable to comment immediately. OWL is now circulating a petition calling on the former Republican Senator from Wyoming to resign.

But Simpson has not only been writing letters to OWL. He earlier penned a note to Dean Baker, economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Simpson apparently has no idea that Baker is a leading economist, judging from his derisive letter.

Dean,

I only recently came across your column Alan Simpson: A Man Who intensely Wants to Cut Social Security. If this is the way that you do your reporting, I would think that you would have damn few fans or readers! I’m not out to “cut” anything. I’m out to stabilize the Social Security system and so, let me share with you what Stephen C. Goss, Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration shared with the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform on May 12, 2010. I hope with your own massive bias and prejudice that you won’t throw it away before you read it! First, you have to know what the Social Security system is – what it’s situation is with regard to solvency – and how do we make it sustainable. Good reading I think! And after you have finished it, you might contact me unless you just want to ramble off with your own weird opinions – on your own once again.

P.S. I loved the picture accompanying your piece. With chin in hand, I first thought of Rodin’s The Thinker – but after reading the piece I can see you haven’t done very much of that!

I think he’s talking about this picture. The Rodin joke – high comedy!

The point is that Simpson thinks he can bully his way through his critics with no repercussions. And in that respect, he may be right. But his critics have some tools for mass action which may surprise the former Senator. Communications have evolved in the past 25 years. It’s likely we’ll run into a double standard of only “certain” people being fired for their email communications, but you never know.

Let me end the pretense: I’m really writing this in the hopes that I’ll get the next letter.

That was a blog entry from many hours ago. I'm going to guess there were a lot more than a 1000 signatures as the day went on.

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/08/25/simpson-ducks-comment-as-more-letters-emerge/

[suffragette]

1. Alan Simpson's been a pretty busy bee with writing emails and letters

I wonder why that is.

[chill_wind]

2. And for the record.. for the patronizing old goat

Dean Baker's Presentations


Testimony

Testimony of Dean Baker Before the Senate Special Committee on Aging
February 25, 2009

Testimony of Dean Baker Before the House Committee on Education and Labor
February 24, 2009

Policies to Mitigate the Foreclosure Crisis
Dean Baker's testimony before the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee Hearing, May 21, 2008

Turmoil in U.S. Credit Markets
Dean Baker's testimony to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, April 10, 2008

The Causes of Economic Hardships for the Middle Class
Dean Baker's submitted testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee, January 31, 2007

Protecting and Strengthening Social Security
Dean Baker's testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security, June 16, 2005

President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security
Dean Baker's comments presented to the Social Security Commission, August 14, 2001


http://www.cepr.net/index.php/clips/dean-bakers-presentations/

**************

WHY isn't somebody like Dean Baker on that commission?

[slipslidingaway]

3. knr "WHY isn't somebody like Dean Baker on that commission?"

Now that is the real question!

[chill_wind]

4. Because he's competent and a progressive-

and not GOP style batshit crazy obnoxious enough for the post-partisan gatekeepers?

[slipslidingaway]

5. Yes! kick n/t

[sabrina 1]

6. This guy is certifiable, but the WH still backs him???

I can think of only one intelligent reason for keeping him around and that would be to completely discredit this whole commission. But doing that also discredits the preseident who appointed it and the insane Republicans like Simpson who was appointed as co-chair.

Other than that, there it is simply crazy for Democrats to remain in any way associated with him.

[Doctor_J]

7. The WH has given Simpson carte blanche to say anything he wants

nothing can get him in trouble now.