Jim Hightower's Lowdown

Congress Critter Proposes a Raw Deal to Replace Social Security


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Years ago, an iconic bar named “Another Raw Deal” was a regular hangout for us irreverent, free-spirited, political progressives in Austin, Texas. Even those push-button, hot-air hand dryers in its restrooms were political—printed on the big chrome button was this instruction: “Push here for a message from Sen. Phil Gramm.”

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Mercifully, Gramm is gone, but political hot air is still gushing from the likes of Rep. Pat Fallon, an Elon-Musk-hugging, plutocratic congress critter from Texas. Lately, however, Pat has been learning the hard way that folks back home don’t share his fan-boy crush on the South African billionaire, who is gleefully chainsawing crucial public programs that even Republican families count on. So, Fallon’s own constituents are howling at him to do something!

He is: This aloof and clueless “public servant” has erupted in a mad dog attack on the locals! At a recent town hall event in his red district, voters were furious that Musk is targeting the Social Security benefits they’ve earned. Fallon barked that “no one has said they’re cutting Social Security.” But one of his voters shot back: “Elon says it every day.” Indeed Musk is trying to kill it with lies, falsely attacking it as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”

Then, Fallon stumbled into the GOP’s briar patch of class bias, curtly proposing “a different deal” to replace Social Security. “If you want to retire,” he instructed, plan when you’re young and “work two jobs.” Of course, millions already do—and the pay still doesn’t cover basic expenses, much less provide savings for retirement.

This is Jim Hightower saying… Now that’s a raw deal! Did I mention that Fallon, a multimillionaire congressman, gets a lavish, paid-for-by-you-and-me public pension?

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Jim Hightower's LowdownBy Jim Hightower

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