Subject: An Insiders 1st Experience With Obama Alan Simpson of Simpson-Bowles fame lays out his experience in dealing > with the President. > > As you have heard me say before that volunteering at the Bush Center > library is a great gig. I could write about my great experiences > daily; but today was one of the highlights, so far. > > Southern Methodist University has a lecture series called the Tate > Lecture Series which has a significant speaker every month from September to May. > Last month was Charles Krauthammer and last night was Erskine Bowles > and Alan Simpson. Tickets to those events are like hens teeth and > they are passed down from father to son or family to family and has a > waiting list of> 7 years for season tickets for the general public. One of the benefits > of these visits is that these folks normally visit the library (after > normal hours) while in town.> > > Todays experience was worth a lot. Alan Simpson was the co-author of > the Simpson - Bowles Commission appointed by the current president to > come up with a plan and path forward to help the nation get back on a > sound fiscal footing. It was to include spending limits and controls > that would address existing entitlements, a change in tax codes and > the abolishment of selected existing tax breaks for special interest > groups. Accordingly, It called for a sound fiscal plan that would get us > into reasonable balance in 10 years.> > > As everyone knows, Alan Simpson (R) (82) is a retired senator from > Wyoming and is known for his frank opinions and statements and in > some ways seen as eccentric in some of his views. Erskine Bowles (D) > (69), who was Chief of Staff in former administrations, is a respected > Democrat and was an equal partner in putting this study and report > together with supposedly high respect and influence in the Democratic Party.> > > The intent was for the current President to use their report as a road > map to fiscal responsibility. This report was issued in 2010 and as > quickly dismissed by the president as a non-starter prior to the > election of 2012 based on its perceived political impact on his re-election.> > > When I saw Simpson today in the museum, I approached him to welcome > him to the museum as a team leader since that is my job for the general public. > Normally, VIPs or celebs have Foundation escorts during these > visits, but in typical Simpson fashion, he wanted to be just another visitor. > > All volunteers wear the same uniform and have a prominent name tag for > the public to see. Little did I know that when I approached him to > welcome him, he would receive me as a long lost friend and it was > Howard this and Howard that in typical politician fashion. After two > or three minutes of asking about the library (which he loved) and how > often we work and what days do we work and other small talk, I asked > him for his assessment of our current national fiscal and spending > problems and his view on the future efforts needed to turn the nation around.> > > I spent the next 15 minutes (just the two of us) listening to him > expound on his view of our future. His first answer was that with this > president we will never make progress. He then related a story that > when Bowles and Simpson requested time with the president to urge him > to seriously consider their report, he was stunned by the response (as was Bowles).> > > The president told them that he would take no action on any of the > Commissions recommendations and explained his rationale in the > following way - prior to his re-election and probably after his > re-election he would do nothing. Simply put it was a pure political > decision. He stated that to accept reductions in the growth of > entitlements would alienate his base and he would only look at the tax > increase side of the recommendations after the election. He further > added that to accept the recommendations would give the Republicans a > victory as seen by the voters and he was not ever going to do that now > or ever. He was adamant that he wanted more spending and more taxes > and that he would pursue that course throughout his administration until his last day in office.> > > Stunned by that answer, Bowles asked him if he would do whats right > for the country and exert some leadership to save the nations fiscal future. > Obamas response was that he would let the next president worry about > the spending and debt, but he was going to spend and tax and > re-distribute wealth throughout his term.> > > Both men were furious and after spending 1.5 hours with the president, > they left in utter disbelief. Bowles, thinking that he could have some > credibility with the Ds in the House and Senate tried to gather some > influence with that group and was quickly advised that the Obama > agenda would go forward at all costs.> > > In one desperate attempt to get some traction, Bowles thought that if > he went to see the president without Simpson being there, he could > have a more meaningful result. That effort resulted in the same answer > as they got the first time and that meeting was closer to the election > and was dismissed as untimely and unnecessary by Obama. The end result > is what we are now seeing each and every day. Bowles and Simpson > believe that this president is not interested in anything except his political agenda.> > > About this time Simpsons wife joined us and we talked for few more > minutes as she reminded him that they had a plane to catch and they > had to move along.> > > In summary, I should not have asked my questions given my role of a > neutral docent, but as an American I wanted to know his thoughts. I > was stunned that he would be that candid with a perfect stranger, but > knowing Simpson it has been typical of his behavior over his career.> > > These are the reasons that volunteering at the Bush Center make life > in America bearable for me at this time. I thought you might want to > see this insight from an experienced Washington insider. He was candid > and as he left he said, Dont expect anything good for America until this guy is gone. > (AMEN!!!)
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 23:39:09 +0000
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