You Hurt Alan Simpson's Feelings

Poor Alan Simpson. The co-chair of the Deficit Reduction Commission (popularly known as "The Catfood Commission") isn't feeling the love from folks responding to his initial recommendations on how to reduce the deficit. From the Wyoming Capital Journal:

During Al Simpson's nearly 50 years in government, he hasn't been afraid to take on critics and naysayers of his work in the U.S. Senate or on a variety of high-profile commissions and committees.
But as the co-chair of President Obama's debt commission, the Wyoming Republican said he's been taking an unprecedented amount of flak for the commission's draft proposals to help erase the nation's $13.8 trillion debt.
"I've never had any nastier mail or [been in a] more difficult position in my life," said the 79-year-old Simpson. "Just vicious. People I've known, relatives [saying], "'You son of a bitch. How could you do this?'"

And

Simpson said he's spent about $25,000 of his own money on travel and hotel expenses on behalf of the debt commission -- an expense he said he doesn't mind paying.

Oh, the humanity! What a noble fellow, spending his own money to ensure that low income seniors live under bridges and eat catfood in the years to come! Simpson also had this to say:

"We had the greatest generation -- I think this is the greediest generation," he said.

In other words: he made millions. He's got his. You, on the other hand, are greedy because you've paid in to Social Security, and will be receiving a retirement benefit.


cross-posted at MainSt/workingamerica.org