Oct 15, 2013
Simpson-Bowles Urge Action to Fix the DebtCo-founders of the Campaign to Fix the Debt Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles give straight talk on the national debt. The gross ...
The Campaign to Fix the Debt, the $40 million dollar astroturf "supergroup" that CMD exposed on the cover of the Nation magazine, has shifted into high gear in an effort to leverage the debt ceiling crisis into cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Today, the group launched a six figure TV ad buy that reaches new heights of hypocrisy -- and that is saying a lot.
Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson and Morgan Stanley board member Erskine Bowles have long been spokespersons for Fix the Debt. The "folksy" Simpson: "For cryin' out loud, Erskine, who isn't fed up with what's goin' on in Washington?" The Bowles tsk tsk: "These politicians are playing games jerking our country around from crisis to crisis."
This is rich from a group that has been hyping a debt and deficit crisis since its launch in July 2012, even though the deficit has been cut in half in recent years. In January 2013 Fix the Debt steering committee member and former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen admitted that Fix the Debt's strategy was to create an "artificial crisis" to achieve a "grand bargain" on Medicare and Social Security.
Moreover, Fix the Debt was started with a $5 million donation from crisis king Pete Peterson. Peterson has been warning that our Social Security would create a "Pearl Harbor" type crisis for decades as my colleague Lisa Graves documented in her Nation piece "Peterson's Long History of Deficit Scaremongering."
Bowles and Simpson have long been Peterson retainers. Peterson launched a massive effort to prop up the Simpson-Bowles commission and its $4 trillion austerity package, he bankrolled "America Speaks" town hall meetings, launched a TV ad campaign and bankrolled bus tours to the heartland to gin up a faint patina of grassroots support for austerity.
For the Fix the Debt austerity hounds, cuts are the goal as their latest letter makes clear. Under their "chained CPI" proposal, over the next 25 years the average retired federal employee would lose $48,000; the average Social Security recipient would lose $23,000; and, the average military retiree would lose $42,000, says U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
Make no mistake a Simpson-Bowles type plan would be disastrous for our economy, costing some 4 million jobs for starters says the Economic Policy Institute.
Cartoonist Mark Fiore brilliantly skewers the phony Fix the Debt gang in his new video.
As the debt ceiling looms and the horse trading continues, you can follow the conversation on Twitter at #nocuts and learn more at PetersonPyramid.org.
Pete Peterson Exposed: The "Grand Bargain" HoaxThe "Grand Bargain" is a hoax. Find out more about who's behind the push for austerity in deficit hawk America. Learn more about ...
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
© 2023 Center for Media and Democracy
Mary Bottari
Mary Bottari is the Chief of Staff to Madison, Wisconsin Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. Previously, she was the Director of the Center for Media and Democracy's Real Economy Project.
austeritybernie sanderseconomic policy institutealan simpsoncampaign to fix the debtcenter for media and democracy (cmd)deficit hawkserskine bowlesfix the debtnational debtpete petersonu.s. debtdebt ceiling
Simpson-Bowles Urge Action to Fix the DebtCo-founders of the Campaign to Fix the Debt Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles give straight talk on the national debt. The gross ...
The Campaign to Fix the Debt, the $40 million dollar astroturf "supergroup" that CMD exposed on the cover of the Nation magazine, has shifted into high gear in an effort to leverage the debt ceiling crisis into cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Today, the group launched a six figure TV ad buy that reaches new heights of hypocrisy -- and that is saying a lot.
Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson and Morgan Stanley board member Erskine Bowles have long been spokespersons for Fix the Debt. The "folksy" Simpson: "For cryin' out loud, Erskine, who isn't fed up with what's goin' on in Washington?" The Bowles tsk tsk: "These politicians are playing games jerking our country around from crisis to crisis."
This is rich from a group that has been hyping a debt and deficit crisis since its launch in July 2012, even though the deficit has been cut in half in recent years. In January 2013 Fix the Debt steering committee member and former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen admitted that Fix the Debt's strategy was to create an "artificial crisis" to achieve a "grand bargain" on Medicare and Social Security.
Moreover, Fix the Debt was started with a $5 million donation from crisis king Pete Peterson. Peterson has been warning that our Social Security would create a "Pearl Harbor" type crisis for decades as my colleague Lisa Graves documented in her Nation piece "Peterson's Long History of Deficit Scaremongering."
Bowles and Simpson have long been Peterson retainers. Peterson launched a massive effort to prop up the Simpson-Bowles commission and its $4 trillion austerity package, he bankrolled "America Speaks" town hall meetings, launched a TV ad campaign and bankrolled bus tours to the heartland to gin up a faint patina of grassroots support for austerity.
For the Fix the Debt austerity hounds, cuts are the goal as their latest letter makes clear. Under their "chained CPI" proposal, over the next 25 years the average retired federal employee would lose $48,000; the average Social Security recipient would lose $23,000; and, the average military retiree would lose $42,000, says U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
Make no mistake a Simpson-Bowles type plan would be disastrous for our economy, costing some 4 million jobs for starters says the Economic Policy Institute.
Cartoonist Mark Fiore brilliantly skewers the phony Fix the Debt gang in his new video.
As the debt ceiling looms and the horse trading continues, you can follow the conversation on Twitter at #nocuts and learn more at PetersonPyramid.org.
Pete Peterson Exposed: The "Grand Bargain" HoaxThe "Grand Bargain" is a hoax. Find out more about who's behind the push for austerity in deficit hawk America. Learn more about ...
Mary Bottari
Mary Bottari is the Chief of Staff to Madison, Wisconsin Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. Previously, she was the Director of the Center for Media and Democracy's Real Economy Project.
Simpson-Bowles Urge Action to Fix the DebtCo-founders of the Campaign to Fix the Debt Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles give straight talk on the national debt. The gross ...
The Campaign to Fix the Debt, the $40 million dollar astroturf "supergroup" that CMD exposed on the cover of the Nation magazine, has shifted into high gear in an effort to leverage the debt ceiling crisis into cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Today, the group launched a six figure TV ad buy that reaches new heights of hypocrisy -- and that is saying a lot.
Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson and Morgan Stanley board member Erskine Bowles have long been spokespersons for Fix the Debt. The "folksy" Simpson: "For cryin' out loud, Erskine, who isn't fed up with what's goin' on in Washington?" The Bowles tsk tsk: "These politicians are playing games jerking our country around from crisis to crisis."
This is rich from a group that has been hyping a debt and deficit crisis since its launch in July 2012, even though the deficit has been cut in half in recent years. In January 2013 Fix the Debt steering committee member and former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen admitted that Fix the Debt's strategy was to create an "artificial crisis" to achieve a "grand bargain" on Medicare and Social Security.
Moreover, Fix the Debt was started with a $5 million donation from crisis king Pete Peterson. Peterson has been warning that our Social Security would create a "Pearl Harbor" type crisis for decades as my colleague Lisa Graves documented in her Nation piece "Peterson's Long History of Deficit Scaremongering."
Bowles and Simpson have long been Peterson retainers. Peterson launched a massive effort to prop up the Simpson-Bowles commission and its $4 trillion austerity package, he bankrolled "America Speaks" town hall meetings, launched a TV ad campaign and bankrolled bus tours to the heartland to gin up a faint patina of grassroots support for austerity.
For the Fix the Debt austerity hounds, cuts are the goal as their latest letter makes clear. Under their "chained CPI" proposal, over the next 25 years the average retired federal employee would lose $48,000; the average Social Security recipient would lose $23,000; and, the average military retiree would lose $42,000, says U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
Make no mistake a Simpson-Bowles type plan would be disastrous for our economy, costing some 4 million jobs for starters says the Economic Policy Institute.
Cartoonist Mark Fiore brilliantly skewers the phony Fix the Debt gang in his new video.
As the debt ceiling looms and the horse trading continues, you can follow the conversation on Twitter at #nocuts and learn more at PetersonPyramid.org.
Pete Peterson Exposed: The "Grand Bargain" HoaxThe "Grand Bargain" is a hoax. Find out more about who's behind the push for austerity in deficit hawk America. Learn more about ...
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.