I held for over an hour to talk to him about social security. I call a lot of talk radio stations and he's got the best screener going. He really quizzed me before putting me on hold as to what I was going to say. After some fits and starts, we settled that I'd talk about blowing the caps on the SSN payroll tax (the social security tax).
more (good stuff) below
So I held well over an hour. That was OK - it gave me time to think about framing. This is how it went:
Rush: We have Mike in Albany
Me: Hi Rush - thanks for having me on your show. I'm a democrat, but I think you are an amazing talent and I respect your success.
I called to talk about social security. What I don't understand is why it is that corporate CEO's with their golden parachutes, the Hollywood left and the thugs that play in the NBA - trial lawyers that make $30 million dollars a year... Why do they even get social security? They don't need the government hand-out. I also don't get why they pay less than 1/10 of one percent of their income in social security taxes, when I have to pay 12% of my income in social security taxes....
Rush: Oh... Uhm....
Me: I mean, these guys are making millions of dollars a year...
Rush: Uhm... let me get your number so we can call you back tomorrow [it was approaching the end of his show]... what you are suggesting is some kind, like medicare - a of flattening of the social security tax...
Me: Exactly - I thought you were for a flat tax...
Rush: Oh... Uhm... yeah, we'll call you back tomorrow - you bring up a lot to talk about that I can only talk about tomorrow - I just don't have the time
then the screener boke in, told me I went off the reservation, but could he have my number so Rush could call tomorrow. I gave it to him, but explained that all I did was flesh out what I meant by "blowing the caps" and taxing all income...
So this is the deal.... Please use this diary to suggest frames I can use tomorrow. I can't be sure they will call me, but I'll have my phone fully charged and on me all day long. I hope he does call me. I just want to be prepared. If any of you have some really well thought out sound-bites that really make the complicated issue simple... that would help me break through to the ditto-heads... you know - if you are the type that is good at talking to your conservative brother-in-law... well, feel free to suggest.
PS - if anyone can get me an MP3 of the show (today's), I'd love to hear it. When the screener broke in, I couldn't hear what Rush went on to say. I also want to be able to hear if I was as good as I think I was... ;-)