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A movement calling for the resignation of Alan Simpson as chair of President Obama’s Deficit Commission is gaining steam. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is considering a number of proposals that would either dismantle or weaken Social Security, and/or cut benefits. Simpson’s chairmanship of the group is significant because of his long-standing public opposition to Social Security. The former Republican Wyoming Senator has made no secret of his contempt for Social Security recipients, having made several controversial epithets against them such as “lesser people,” “greedy geezers,” “Gray Panthers,” and “Pink Panthers.” In response, Ashley B Carson, Executive Director of a Washington DC-based organization called Owl – The Voice of Midlife and Older Women, wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post called “Enough With the Pink Panthers.” In it, Carson called Simpson’s quips against Social Security recipients, ageist and sexist. Earlier this week, she got a direct response from Senator Simpson via email accusing her of “babbling into the vapors,” having “biases and prejudices,” and worst of all characterizing Social Security as a “milk cow with 310 million tits.” Ashley Carson’s group Owl has launched a petition calling for the immediate removal of Simpson as co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. As of this morning that petition has been signed by over 3000 people.

GUEST: Ashley B Carson, Executive Director of Owl – The Voice of Midlife and Older Women

Find out more at www.owl-national.org, and www.socialsecuritymatters.org.