1993 "An Appeal To Grandma And Grandpa" by Jon Cowan, now Third Way president.

[madfloridian]

He is truly an amazing fellow, like the energizer bunny he just keeps right on keeping on about old folks and Social Security. And he has kept on today until he has the ear of the White House as the head of the think tank that has taken over from the DLC in setting Democratic policy.

He and his group called Lead or Leave are often credited for helping start the war between the generations. That war is coming to a climax today with a Democratic president offering up Social Security to a bunch of right wing extremists.

This is a treasure from 1993 in the Chicago Tribune.

An Appeal To Grandma And Grandpa

May 08, 1993|By Rob Nelson and Jon Cowan, (copyright) 1993, Knight-Ridder Newspapers. and Rob Nelson, 30, and Jon Cowan, 27, are the co-founders of Lead . . . or Leave in Washington, which describes itself as a generational political movement.

Dear Grandma and Grandpa:

We write to ask for your help. We're in a financial mess, and unless everyone in our family gets together to fix the problem, we're heading for "economic and fiscal catastrophe." That's not a phrase we picked up on MTV-it's from a recent U.S. government report on the budget deficit.

This year alone America's budget deficit will be nearly $300 billion, which means we're spending $300 billion more than we take in. That's $300 billion on top of the $4.2 trillion debt we've already built up, enough to pay basketball star Michael Jordan's salary for almost a million and a half years.

It is a long article and hard to just choose parts of it. It is very snide in its tone.

This is one of the paragraphs that really showed their contempt for the older generations.

The truth is, today's retirees get their benefits directly out of the paychecks of working Americans, the majority of whom are less affluent than those they support. True, you paid into the system. But so do we. And right now, we're paying FICA taxes at rates 20 times (inflation adjusted) what you paid as a young worker.

And there's no end in sight.

And then the tone changes again....they are pacifying seniors saying it is not all their fault. How effing nice of them. Don't miss the words about the collapsing school system. What a pathetic grab for generational sympathy. Unfortunately it worked all too well.

We are not ungrateful. We respect and value the sacrifices you've made for our country and have no desire to take money away from those in need. But our generation is in trouble. We were educated in a collapsing school system. Our incomes and skill levels are lower than any previous generation-by the year 2000 over one-third of younger Americans will be living in poverty. And we will be the first Americans to inherit a lower standard of living than our parents.
We're not asking that your generation solve all our problems. And there certainly are many other programs that also must be cut to get the deficit under control. But Social Security must be considered, just like everything else in the budget.

Well, it worked. It IS being considered. It is right there on the table in plain sight now.

We know that Cowan's new group is setting Democratic policy now. How do we know it? Kirsten Powers tells us so.

DLC Shut Down: The Democrats’ New Power Base

The truth is, the DLC’s position as the leading centrist Democratic think tank was long ago overtaken by a group called Third Way, which has been growing more influential by the day.

Before joining the White House, Bill Daley, President Obama’s new chief of staff, was a board member of Third Way.

In an interview before the news of the DLC’s shuttering, Ken Baer, communications director for the Office of Management and Budget and a longtime fan of Third Way, told me: “Their power is rising. They put out original policy ideas that are rooted in reality and relevant to the moment. They are really the only organization owning the reform space in the Democratic Party.”

Jon Cowan's views toward Social Security and seniors may be more nuanced and careful now, but there was a time in 1995 when he was not so careful. He openly called for the privatization of Social Security.

1995 Op ed from Third Way prez Cowan calling to privatize Social Security.

Unfortunately for America, this lie-to-get-elected approach is disastrous for our long-term fiscal outlook and will squander any hope of repairing the system before the crisis strikes early in the next millennium.

The time has come to reinvent Social Security based on a "cut and privatize" approach that will be fair to all age groups. This reinvention should be based on three principles:

* Start immediately to lower boomers' expectations of the returns they will get and encourage them to increase private savings. My generation and my kids' will have to pay upward of 30% of our income in payroll taxes to finance the boomers' retirement at today's benefit levels. That's unreasonable and unworkable. Instead, we'll have to dramatically slash benefits to stay solvent, and we should let folks know now what to expect when the ax falls.

* Separate out the welfare portion of Social Security and pay out poverty benefits to today's--and tomorrow's--needy seniors from general government revenues. In some cases, benefits will have to increase as we keep our commitment to protect America's elderly from poverty; at the same time, benefits will have to be cut to seniors who are well-off. Yes, we'll be breaking our commitment to folks who have paid in for decades, but that was not a contract my generation signed, and it's not one that America can afford to fulfill.

* Lower the Social Security payroll tax to 10% and give workers the option of putting their money into private pension programs that offer far higher returns and sounder prospects than today's Social Security system.

Today the president reiterated his call for "shared sacrifices."

With both parties calling to put Social Security on the table, we should be concerned.

[somone]

1. Jon Cowan to seniors and disabled: Please Die Already

so we can give the money to Wall Street

[madfloridian]

5. He drips contempt for seniors. Even the title of that op ed has a bad smell.

[jwirr]

43. Yes, he lies to them. So Jon if you are going to take their money

away from them are you going to change their diapers when they get old?

[TheKentuckian]

2. The Turd Way is only different than the TeaPubliKlans in rhetoric and effectiveness

in pushing the same wicked agenda. They are just more professional and efficient in pushing the same agenda because they can appeal to Democrats by utilizing Trojan Horse tactics.

[chill_wind]

3. Oh, I got those "shared sacrifices" right here:

Citigroup profit up 24%.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1494881

Now everyone go eat your peas!

[madfloridian]

4. Wow, and no Social Security COLA the last two years.

Sure tells a lot about our nation's priorities, doesn't it?

[roxiejules]

6. And the difference between him and Pete Peterson is ???

:shrug:

[chill_wind]

7. You've probably seen this, but not a lot when it comes to foundation $$

Bradley Foundation Money. Pete Peterson $$ for his former adventures.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1442301&mesg_id=1448621

[roxiejules]

9. Aren't these guys clever

their think tanks and people are everywhere.



Thanks for the link.

:hi:

[donquijoterocket]

45. He's younger and

Probably a lot more stupid. Peterson didn't get to his position by being a nitwit, the kids leading this death panel seem to embody the peter principle in its fullest failing upward and prospering by creating their own little dog and pony show.

[roxiejules]

8. Lead..or Leave: Funded by Pete Peterson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Cowan


In 1992, Cowan co-founded, with Rob Nelson, the organization Lead...or Leave. The organization, with no paying members, was primarily funded by American businessman Pete Peterson.

In 2000, Cowan became president of the new organization Americans for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization that advocated for the rights of all Americans to own firearms for personal uses such as sport and protection. The organization was initially funded by Andrew McKelvey.

Americans for Gun Safety eventually combined with the AGS Foundation to become Third Way, a think tank, which Cowan co-founded along with Matt Bennett, Jim Kessler, and Nancy Hale. Third Way is a political non-profit organization that works with the idea of making the lives of middle class society better.

[madfloridian]

19. Peterson has had way too much influence on the party's policy.

Way way too much.

[roxiejules]

22. He has developed curriculum for the high schools....

Raising young deficit hawks

http://www.remappingdebate.org/print?content=node%2F400 - 2/3/11


No one has done more than the billionaire private-equity investor Peter G. Peterson to stir America’s anxiety over deficits, debt, and what Peterson (among others) considers out-of-control entitlement-program spending. Those same concerns now lie at the heart of a “fiscal responsibility” curriculum being developed for America’s high schools. The curriculum bears the stamp of Columbia University’s prestigious Teachers College, but reflects the focus suggested by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which provided $2.4 million in funding for the project.

Teachers College gave Remapping Debate access to a set of 24 lessons set to be test-taught in four states this spring prior to a wider roll-out in 2011-12. Heavily weighted toward the themes and arguments of Peterson and other deficit hawks, the trial lessons could be seen as part of an effort by one of the country’s wealthiest men, now 82, to spread his gospel to coming generations…

In their presentation of questions and selection of evidence, however, the trial lessons repeatedly point toward two core ideas of Peterson’s long crusade: first, that America’s future is threatened by deficit spending, and, second, that Social Security and Medicare have helped put our economy on an “unsustainable course.”

[madfloridian]

23. Interesting title....lots of young deficit hawks around now.

But someone forgot to emphasize to them that Social Security isn't involved in causing it.

That's a lot of money and a lot of influence. Just think what the reformers can do when they get through buying off K-12?

[roxiejules]

24. And more on the way

Wake up peeps....your schools will be owned and ruled by the Corporations soon, very soon.


:hi:

[Patchuli]

28. I found your icon and your words

especially cavalier in light of the damage being done to our young people.

[roxiejules]

33. Was not my intent to be 'cavalier'

sorry you felt that way about my warning.

The icon was to wave to madfloridian.

[madfloridian]

34. I was just going to reply to the post and say you did not mean that.

I think your words were obvious and clear. And another wave to you.

:hi:

[roxiejules]

40. Thanks, and I would like to say

once again how much I appreciate your posts/journals.

[Zorra]

10. The Third Way is the fuckin' Borg. Sent out by wealthy private interests to colonize the mind

heart and soul of the Democratic Party and assimilate it and its membership into a republican colony.

They're flat out pure evil.

[mmonk]

11. Recommended.

off set by a resident Third Wayer.

[madfloridian]

12. And the title of Cowan's latest op ed is almost as condescending...

We don't have Al From to kick us around anymore, but now we have Jon Cowan and company.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58500.html

Progressives: Wise up on Social Sec.

"That sound you’re hearing is the collective gasps of more than 200 progressive organizations who thought they successfully lobbied President Barack Obama to keep Social Security reform off the table in budget negotiations.

With word coming that the president is willing to make the nation’s most popular program part of the discussion, comprehensive reform or the first pieces of it could happen by the Aug. 2 debt ceiling deadline."

...It also includes ideas that trim benefits that progressives probably won’t like — but each side has to give. Our plan includes an adjustment to yearly cost-of-living payments through a slight change in the way inflation is calculated.

In addition, we gradually raise the retirement age to keep up with life expectancy. This should ensure that people retiring after 2035 can have the same expected years of receiving Social Security benefits as people who retired between 1980 and 2035."

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58500_Page2.html#ixzz1SJ1PRFHu

Does all that sound familiar? Yep, those are the talking points we are hearing from both parties.

[WinkyDink]

13. When Obama cracked, "We won't pull the plug on Grandma," I knew then it was generational war for him

[Starry Messenger]

14. k&r

[EFerrari]

15. Kick and

:puke:

[peace4ever]

16. thank you for this informative post. folks need to know the positions of the POTUS advisors

to understand what to expect, and not be caught off guard when policy is discussed and implemented.

it helps shine a light on the shallow spin that is propagated during policy discussions by folks who try to muddy the waters with lines like, we don't have any idea what they are proposing, so it's better to wait and see, nonsense.

:toast:

[madfloridian]

17. And this spin is stressing out a lot of elderly people who did not cause the deficit.

It's dangerous spin, really. :hi:

[somone]

20. No kidding. This charade is an utterly cruel hoax

perpetrated on the American people.

[madfloridian]

25. It's cruel and taking a toll on good people who paid into the program...

for their working years. It's unnecessary stress because our party is using GOP talking points to win.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. End the Bush tax cuts, Cut Defense 30-50%, End the drug war, legalize & tax pot first.

Rinse. Repeat.

[madfloridian]

26. Our priorities are so out of order, aren't they?

And it's mainly because the centrist think tanks have our party using the rhetoric of the GOP. Their goal was a business friendly party that did not depend on traditional constituents....and that is what they have now.

[Warren DeMontague]

42. I don't know when "business friendly" came to equal "totally insane"

There are plenty of growth and profit-minded folks who support, for instance, livable wages, universal health coverage, and investments in infrastructure and public good. Unfortunately, Corporate America has been dominated for the past few decades by short-term bean counters, interested only in this quarter's numbers and incapable of long-term, strategic thinking. And that mentality is reflected in our approach to public endeavors, as well- which is why we no longer seem capable of doing the "big things" we once were able to do.

I don't know what the solution is, but what we've had for the past 30 years or so isn't working.

[Mimosa]

21. Incomes are down at least 30% (from 1970s) in inflation adjusted dollars

Where the heck are working people supposed to get money to save?

[Cherchez la Femme]

31. That's not progression, that's regression

it's devolution.

It's utterly disgusting. It seems we've been in a fascist government way longer than the last 10-20 years.

[Art_from_Ark]

44. And even if they can save a little bit,

there's almost no way to make it grow without entailing a lot of risk.

[Patchuli]

27. Hey Rob and Jon!

I get out what I paid in. Your situation is not my problem. Oh yeah, and go f*ck yourselves. NOW.

[PADemD]

29. People to Watch

There's a Third Way web site which lists Honorary Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees, and Staff

http://www.thirdway.org/co_chairs

I'm really surprised at some of the names.

[madfloridian]

32. Not surprised.

Some of them sound good, but when it comes down to it they are centrists and will follow the Third Way line. Democrats who don't often don't get very far along.

I notice they are not as open about the drive for charter schools as the DLC was. But all that info is at the DLC website still. Every detail is there still.

But the Third Way abortion neutral way has really harmed women. There was even an article appealing to the "abortion grays"...meaning stay in the neutral area. It has allowed the religious right to barrel full steam ahead with their anti-choice agendas....while our own party stayed out of the fray.

[JDPriestly]

39. Horrors!

Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary of Health and Human Services

is emeritus in that organization.

Shame on Obama. Obama is a fraud. Now I said it. How could he appoint a grandma-hater to be head of Health and Human Services?

She needs to explain to America's seniors -- or speak out against this organization.

[blkmusclmachine]

30. K & R

Time to expose them.

[Overseas]

35. Really disgusting. Cut your grandparents instead of millionaires and billionaires.

Of course with the Third Way crowd, maybe their grandparents are millionaires and billionaires.

I think The Third Way is what should be definitively taken off the table and out into the trash.

[madfloridian]

36. I had assumed it was the GOP that started the generation wars....

but seems to have been a group of bipartisan Democrats pushing it. Now Cowan has helped found the No Labels movement.

[JDPriestly]

37. Look, you young Whippersnappers.

Grandma saved her money and Wall Street stole it.

Your grandma already made her sacrifice.

It's time that the Wall Street guys make theirs.

They and the CEOs whose worthless companies they make look good for the money (until the next crash) should pay taxes on their stock options now and their bonuses now.

If your grandma is totally dependent on Social Security and Medicare, you will have to pay for her needs no matter what.

And if grandma saved her money, her investment adviser (if he or she is honest) is probably telling her to put her money only in the safest of investments. That means she is getting maybe 1.1 to 1.4 maximum percent interest on all those pennies that she put into her piggy bank over the years.

Grandma has already sacrificed.

You cannot ask her to sacrifice more.

And Grandma put you through college and paid for the retirement insurance (Social Security) and the Medicaid of her grandmother and parents.

Leave your Grandma out of this. Stop the bleeding of jobs. Bring back good opportunities for young and old to this country.

And above all, raise the taxes on corporations and the wealthy in this country.

Grandma has sacrificed all her life. How many people on Social Security do you think can afford I-phones and I-pads and all that stuff? Very few.

This is the most disgusting thing I have seen in a long time.

Kill Grandma. That is what these people want.

[madfloridian]

38. Great rant. Thank you.

:applause:

[roxiejules]

41. +1

Prosecute Wall Street fraud and leave Grandma alone!!


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x600885