Random notes on various subjects to thrill and bore you at the same time.

Time to do some blog housekeeping again.

First, I want to make sure everyone sees the response to my June 7 blog on Nestlé’s new product–an elaborate system that produces a ton of waste just so people don’t have to boil water for tea.

As you’ll see, John Sargent thought I implied that Nestlé was no longer doing exploitative marketing against which people have boycotted for years.  I wasn’t saying that, but John is right that I could have used the opportunity to remind people that there is still a boycott of Nestlé products.  John does in his response:

John Sargent says:

June 7, 2010 at 12:49 pm

I am surprised by the tone at the end of this article which seems to suggest that Nestle are no longer guilty of inappropriately marketing their baby milk products in developing countries. If only that were true. Sadly this isn’t the case. They are still in breach of the WHO guidelines and the boycott on their products remains.

See the Baby Milk Action blog:
http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/campaignblog260510

Find Baby Milk Action on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4978994961

Moving right along, I’ve posted twice about the need to make sure the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, on June 2 and February 19, 2010.

In my June 2 blog entry, I asked readers to write all the Commission members asking them to make sure that the Commission recommends that the federal government pays the Social Security Trust Fund back all the money it has been borrowing from the Trust Fund since the Reagan administration.   I gave everyone a list of the contact information for all the Commission members, which I will repeat at the end of this blog.

I thought I would post two sample letters for those interested in joining the “Save Social Security” movement.  The first one I sent to all the Commissioners yesterday; the second one comes from my assistant, Colette.

MARC’S LETTER

June 8, 2010

Honorable Alan K. Simpson
Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh Jardine, P.C.
1135 14th Street
P.O. Box 490
Cody, WY 82414

Dear Honorable Simpson:

I am writing you concerning your role as part of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. 

As you know, under the Reagan Administration the federal government started borrowing money from the Social Security Trust fund instead of raising or maintaining taxes or floating other Treasury debt.  Many people such as Peter Peterson would like the United States to walk away from these loans that the federal government has taken from the Social Security Trust Fund and not pay the money back as part of a package to deal with our pressing debt problems. 

As the owner of a very successful small business, I am quite concerned about this alarming and irresponsible proposal.  If we do not pay this debt back, it will be disastrous not only for the millions of people who will see their Social Security benefits gutted, but to the ability of the U.S. to borrow money  because it will mark the first time that the country has ever defaulted on a loan.  A much better approach to addressing our national debt is to increase corporate, income and capital gains tax.

Please make sure that the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform recommends that the federal government repay the Social Security Trust Fund every penny it owes so that Social Security can remain solvent without major changes and the federal government can work on its real challenge, which is lowering the federal debt. 

Best regards,

Marc Jampole

COLETTE’S LETTER

June 8, 2010

Honorable Alan K. Simpson
Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh Jardine, P.C.
1135 14th Street
P.O. Box 490
Cody, WY 82414

Dear Honorable Simpson:

I am writing you concerning your role as part of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. 

As you know, under the Reagan Administration the federal government started borrowing money from the Social Security Trust fund instead of raising or maintaining taxes or floating other Treasury debt.  Many people such as Peter Peterson would like the United States to walk away from these loans that the federal government has taken from the Social Security Trust Fund and not pay the money back as part of a package to deal with our pressing debt problems. 

As someone who has contributed to the Social Security Trust Fund for over two decades, I am deeply concerned that the money promised to me from this Trust will not be available to not only me but others who have contributed to the system.  As promised, I want the money to be available for my family.  The government can’t solve its debt problems by forgiving the debt it owes to its citizens. 

If the Social Security Trust is gutted, millions of people will be forced to rely on other forms of government programs such as Medicaid and Social Security Disability which will also become insolvent.   The federal government needs to concern itself with the welfare of its citizens in need rather than corporate welfare or the desire of the wealthy to increase its wealth at the expense of fellow citizens.

The federal government has a responsibility to ensure that Social Security remains solvent and the promise to provide financial support to its citizens in their retirement be fulfilled.  The federal government should address the national debt problem by increasing corporate, income and capital gains tax. 

Sincerely,

Colette Roessler

COMMISSION MEMBERS

Here are the Commission members:

Co-Chairmen:

Sen. Alan Simpson, former Republican Senator from Wyoming
Hon. Alan K. Simpson
Shareholder
Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh Jardine, P.C.
1135 14th Street
P.O. Box 490
Cody, WY 82414
asimpson@burgsimpson.com

Erskine Bowles, chief of staff to President Clinton
President
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
910 Raleigh Rd
Campus Box 9000
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
ebowles@northcarolina.edu

Executive Director:

Bruce Reed, chief domestic policy adviser to President Clinton and chief executive officer
Democratic Leadership Council
600 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20003

Commissioners:

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
511 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA 31)
1119 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI 4)
341 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
172 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
530 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510-3403

David Cote, chairman and chief executive officer, Honeywell International
Honeywell International Inc.
101 Columbia Road
Morristown, NJ 07962

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
239 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
309 Hart Senate Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Ann Fudge, former chief executive officer, Young & Rubicam Brands
2400 Beacon St, Ph 601
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX 5)
129 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Alice Rivlin, senior fellow, Brookings Institute and former director
Office of Management & Budget
Brookings Institute
1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
arivlin@brookings.edu

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI 1)
1113 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515 

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL 9)
2367 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Rep. John Spratt (D-SC 5)
1401 Longworth Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Mary Kay Henry, president, Service Employees International Union
1800 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20036