The Closed Door Nutter Event In Da Boat

Colorado voters respond to conference of top right-wing strategists, politicians on Social Security and Medicare in Steamboat Springs


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, August 28, 2010

CONTACT: Kjersten Forseth at 719-641-4674



Steamboat Springs: ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest online progressive advocacy organization, called on top right-wing strategists and politicians gathered in this beautiful mountain resort to abandon their plans to privatize Social Security and end Medicare.



With very little media coverage, the conservative Steamboat Institute organized the weekend “Freedom Conference,” featuring speakers such as Nevada state Sen. Sharron Angle, former top Bush strategist Karl Rove, and Grover Norquist—the man who coined the term ‘drown government in a bathtub.’



“These are the same ideologues who toured the country in 2005 with President Bush, telling seniors how great it would be to invest their guaranteed Social Security benefit with Wall Street,” said Kjersten Forseth, executive director of ProgressNow Colorado. “Thank goodness the American people didn’t take their advice then.



“Today, these same leaders on the right have gathered in a secluded Colorado mountain resort to plot the next step in their plans to hand Social Security over to Wall Street and end Medicare—with renewed confidence after almost two years of blatant falsehoods and disinformation to make the American people afraid.”

At noon on Saturday, Colorado voters gathered before the Stamboat Grand with a simple message: “Hands off Social Security. Hands off Medicare.” There are a range of progressive options for preserving the guaranteed benefit of Social Security and Medicare without surrendering them to Wall Street and the health insurance industry--the simplest of which is to allow Bush's irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire.



“Preserving Social Security and Medicare for future generations is what Americans want, not a Karl Rove shell game,” concluded Forseth. "Social Security needs to be reinforced for our children and grandchildren, and continue to serve as a safeguard against the ups and downs of Wall Street. For so many millions of working families counting on Social Security and Medicare when they retire, it's not a game."

The truth of these matters lies with people on the outside of these closed events that cost hundreds to get in. Of course media is not allowed in any shape or form when these people start opening their pie holes. I'm sure it will be even bigger and better next year.