Alan Simpson: The Washington Elite's Attack Dog

Dean Baker

Alan Simpson, the foul-mouthed former senator, is back in the news. He once again launched an obscenity-laden diatribe against those who oppose his plans to cut Social Security and Medicare. Unfortunately, the focus of the media attention has been on the senator's use of obscenities, which is really beside the point. After all, a single, well-placed expletive can often do the work of a hundred G-rated words. The real issue is the senator's open contempt for the portion of the population that is either dependent on Social Security or Medicare now or will be in the future. Given that that group comprises almost everyone except the rich, Senator Simpson's diatribes are expressing contempt for just about the whole population -- in other words the 99 percent.