Tom Finch – 8/5/07

This page was last updated on August 5, 2007.

Proud to be a Democrat; Tom Finch; Beaver County Times; August 5, 2007.

Mr. Finch’s letters never disappoint. As usual, his letter is little more than a string of liberal talking points. It’s at least the 15^th anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican letter from Mr. Finch since December 2004 and the 10^th since August 2006. Here is one example. I wish he could get a regular column in the Times. I also wish he could get at least five minutes per day on a local radio and/or TV station.

Since this letter is just another exercise in name-calling and reciting talking points and I’ve addressed all of them at one time or another, I’ll address only one of Mr. Finch’s comments.

Mr. Finch alleged Republicans want “to dismantle Social Security just so their private-investment cronies can swindle people out of their retirement money.” To their discredit, Republicans have not proposed to phase out Socialist Security. They seem to believe they can fix this Ponzi scheme.

Regarding the point about allowing taxpayers the ability to direct how a small portion of their taxes is invested, this was not a Republican proposal. The proposal to allow personal accounts in Socialist Security was originally proposed in 1998 by Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) – Hillary Clinton’s immediate predecessor – and no one can question his liberal credentials. At the time, Democrats supported the idea. This was also a recommendation of the bipartisan President’s Commission to Strengthen Social Security in 2001. Former Sen. Moynihan was co-chair of the Commission.

Regarding the “private-investment cronies” crack, why does Mr. Finch assume bankers are Republicans? The liberal Democrat NJ governor – and former U.S. senator from NJ – Jon Corzine was chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs from 1994 – 1999.

Finally, I have a question. Mr. Finch wrote, “I’m proud to be a Democrat.” When the typical rank-and-file Democrat reads Mr. Finch’s letters, does that make him/her proud to be a Democrat?