AARP Senior Vice President Drew Nannis just offered the following statement on Alan Simpson's "troubling comments about the importance of Social Security for 310 million Americans," (via e-mail).
AARP STATEMENT ON IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SECURITY FOR 310 MILLION AMERICANS
WASHINGTON—AARP Senior Vice President Drew Nannis offered the following statement in response to Senator Alan Simpson’s troubling comments about the importance of Social Security for 310 million Americans:
“Senator Simpson’s latest attack on Social Security is offensive for several reasons, particularly for belittling a bedrock program that is the foundation of family security for all generations. The vast majority of the 310 million Americans he insulted – particularly 156 million women and younger Americans for whom the traditional pension will be a relic of history – don’t have access to the type of traditional pension retirement security that Sen. Simpson has from his decades in Congress. Perhaps that’s why his comments demonstrate a woeful disconnect from or disinterest in the challenges facing many American families for whom Social Security is literally a lifeline.
“Sen. Simpson’s most recent departure from reality would be easy to dismiss if not for his position co-leading a Presidential commission that will likely recommend changes to Social Security. Sen. Simpson's remarks not only cross the line of good judgment, but they undermine the serious work of the commission and give us little confidence the commission can fairly look at important programs such as Social Security.”
AARP has as much clout as about any advocacy organization in the country--their membership is gigantic, and effective. They have a tremendous grassroots lobbying organization behind them, with members who are active and responsive, and they vote.
If the AARP has such little confidence in the commission's work because of Alan Simpson's attitude--on all important programs, not just Social Security--any recommendations the commission comes up with are likely to be dead on arrival.
