America has a cow over Alan Simpson's candor on deficits

Image via WikipediaBy Dana Milbank

In 1992, Sen. Alan Simpson, a Wyoming Republican, complained in a speech to the National Conference of State Legislatures about how Social Security, veterans benefits and other programs had made America "like a milk cow with 250 million tits." As best I can tell, the remark drew no attention or complaint.

Simpson reprised the line two weeks ago, updating it only for the population count. In an e-mail to the head of a Social Security advocacy group, he said that, in America, "We've reached a point now where it's like a milk cow with 310 million tits!" This time, it was an udder debacle.

Simpson's e-mail drew demands from half a dozen congressional Democrats that he resign as co-chairman of President Obama's debt reduction commission. Women's and retiree groups formed a "Fire Simpson Campaign," and Simpson apologized. He shouldn't have.
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