CSE Supported Privatizing Social Security & Medicare

Peter Ferrara Argued For Privatizing Social Security In Miami Herald Op-Ed. According to an opinion by Peter Ferrara in the Miami Herald, “By contrast, for today’s young workers, the maximum annual Social Security tax — including the employer’s share — is almost $5,600 and will be near $8,000 by the end of the decade. Recent studies show that for most of these young workers, the benefits they are promised in return for these high tax payments represent a below-market, real rate of return of 1 percent or less. For maximum-income workers and most two-earner couples, the real return will be practically zero, and even negative in many cases. If these workers were allowed to invest an amount equal to their Social Security tax funds in an expanded IRA system, they could expect two, three or more times the benefits promised by Social Security.” [Peter Ferrara – Miami Herald, 8/11/85]

• Peter Ferrara Was Chairman Of The Independent Retirement Alliance, A Project Of Citizens For A Sound Economy. According to an opinion by Peter Ferrara in the Miami Herald, “Peter J. Ferrara, a Washington attorney, has written numerous books and articles on Social Security and served as a member of the White House Office of Policy Development from 1982 to 1983. He is chairman of the Independent Retirement Alliance, a program of the Washington-based Citizens for a Sound Economy. He wrote this article for The Herald.” [Peter Ferrara – Miami Herald, 8/11/85]

CSE Analyst Michael Becker Supported Privatizing Medicare, Saying That It Was “Undermining The Quality Of Care Senior Citizens Receive.” According to St. Petersburg Times, “A similar plan for Medicare was put forth this year by Michael Becker, an analyst for the Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation, a conservative research organization based in Washington. Claiming that ‘attempts to limit medical costs by bureaucratic intervention and price-setting are undermining the quality of care senior citizens receive,’ Becker says Americans should be allowed to establish Health Care Savings Accounts for which workers would receive income tax credits.” [St. Petersburg Times, 12/13/87]

Palm Beach Post Editorial: CSE Said It Will Raise $2 Million “To Sell The Private Replacement To Social Security In 1997.” According to an editorial in Palm Beach Post, “The Cato Institute and Citizens for a Sound Economy – a front for tobacco, drug and oil companies – have said they will raise $ 2 million apiece to sell the private replacement for Social Security in 1997.” [Editorial – Palm Beach Post, 12/14/96]

Palm Beach Post Editorial: “Boosting The Poor Isn’t The Purpose Of Private Investment Accounts… Imagine The Boost In Commissions Investment Fund Managers Could Get From The $300 Billion-Plus The Government Manages For Social Security Participants, And You Can Imagine Who Wants Privatization.” According to an editorial in Palm Beach Post, “Boosting the poor isn’t the purpose of private investment accounts. Architects of plans for the accounts all have healthy retirement plans. Their Social Security checks will be pin money for sunset specials at spas like Mar-a-Lago. Imagine the boost in commissions investment fund managers could get from the $ 300 billion-plus the government manages for Social Security participants, and you can imagine who wants privatization.” [Editorial – Palm Beach Post, 12/14/96]

CSE “Leads Campaigns For Sweeping Revisions In The Tax Codes And Advocates A Privatization Of Social Security.” According to the Miami Herald, “Florida Citizens for a Sound Economy is a 7-month-old chapter of a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that was founded in 1984 to advocate conservative causes. The group opposes what it calls ‘big-government environmentalism like the new federal air-quality rules and proposed agreements to control global warming. It also leads campaigns for sweeping revisions in the tax codes and advocates a privatization of Social Security.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/98]

CSE-Florida’s Anti-Environmentalism And Global Warming Denial

CSE Communications Director Questioned Whether Air Pollutants Caused Asthma

CSE Communications Director Brent Bahler Questioned Whether Air Pollutants Caused Asthma. According to the Florida Times-Union, “The new standards would put 30 percent of America’s counties out of compliance, said Brent Bahler, director of communications for Washington based Citizens for a Sound Economy, which has mounted an ad campaign against the EPA plan. Being out of compliance could cause counties to lose federal aid for important highway, water and sewer projects, he said. Bahler said the EPA thus far has not provided scientific proof to back its claims that increased cases of asthma and other respiratory diseases in recent years are due to the levels of pollutants in the air.” [Florida Times-Union, 3/4/97]

CSE-Florida Opposed “Big-Government Environmentalism Like The New Federal Air-Quality Rules” And “Agreements To Control Global Warming.” According to the Miami Herald, “Florida Citizens for a Sound Economy is a 7-month-old chapter of a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that was founded in 1984 to advocate conservative causes. The group opposes what it calls ‘big-government environmentalism like the new federal air-quality rules and proposed agreements to control global warming. It also leads campaigns for sweeping revisions in the tax codes and advocates a privatization of Social Security.” [Miami Herald, 11/10/98]

CSE Ran Ads Claiming That the EPA Would Ban Backyard Barbeques and Fourth of July Fireworks

CSE Ran Ads Suggesting The EPA’s Proposed Rules Limiting Chemicals And Soot In The Air Would Ban Backyard Barbeques And Fourth Of July Fireworks. According to the Associated Press, “The proposal going through final review at the EPA and White House calls for further reducing the amount of ozone-causing chemicals in the air and for the first time regulating microscopic soot, much of which comes from burning. […] But that doesn’t mean barbecues are protected, argues Wayne Brough, director of research for Citizens for a Sound Economy, a pro-business, smaller-government group that has run radio ads suggesting the EPA rule might lead to a ban on not only barbecues, but also fireworks on the Fourth of July.” [Associated Press, 5/31/97]

• Port St. Lucie News: “No Such Attack On Barbecuing Is Being Considered By The Environmental Protection Agency, Or By Any Other Federal Officials As Far As Anybody Can Determine.” According to the Associated Press, “No such attack on barbecuing is being considered by the Environmental Protection Agency, or by any other federal officials as far as anybody can determine. The proposal going through final review at the EPA and White House calls for further reducing the amount of ozone-causing chemicals in the air and for the first time regulating microscopic soot, much of which comes from burning. But will millions of backyard chefs be unilaterally sent back into the kitchen to meet the federal air-quality standard? Senior EPA officials, health experts, and many state environmental control officials say no way. That would amount to committing political hara-kiri over a hibachi, they suggest. ‘EPA is not contemplating nor have we ever contemplated restrictions on the use of charcoal and gas grills,’ EPA Administrator Carol Browner wrote a congressman recently, suggesting any state or local attempt to curb barbecues would ‘defy common sense.’” [Associated Press, 5/31/97]

Palm Beach Post Editorial: “CSE Started The False Rumor” That The EPA Would Ban Backyard Barbecues. According to an editorial by the Palm Beach Post, “CSE started the false rumor about the Environmental Protection Agency wanting to ban backyard barbecues.” [Editorial – Palm Beach Post, 11/12/98]

CSE and Global Warming Denialism

CSE “Has Questioned Whether Global Warming Exists.” According to the St. Petersburg Times, “Citizens for a Sound Economy – which also has questioned whether global warming exists and blasted the EPA for setting tougher air quality standards – this month mailed out fliers branding the Everglades plan a costly boondoggle that ‘could turn South Florida’s water supply into undrinkable brine.’” [St. Petersburg Times, 11/23/98]

CSE Florida Director Slade O’Brien Op-ed Headline: “Global Warming Not Proven.” [Slade O’Brien – Press Journal, 6/6/99]

O’Brien: EPA Conferences On Global Warming Meant “To Scare Floridians Into Believing That Catastrophic Human-Induced Global Warming Is Here.” According to an opinion by CSE Florida Director Slade O’Brien in the Press Journal, “On May 26-27, the Environmental Protection Agency held two taxpayer-funded ‘conferences’ on global warming in Florida. While the EPA claimed that these conferences were intended ‘to provide information,’ they were really intended for another purpose – to scare Floridians into believing that catastrophic human-induced global warming is here and that only cutbacks in our use of fossil fuels, as called for by the Clinton-Gore administration, will prevent rising seas from destroying Florida.” [Slade O’Brien – Press Journal, 6/6/99]

O’Brien: “There Is No Sound Science To Support The Hypothesis Of Human-Induced Global Warming, No Scientific Evidence To Back Up Assertions That It Is Causing A Rapid Rise In Sea Levels.” According to an opinion by CSE Florida Director Slade O’Brien in the Press Journal, “Tragically, some may have been persuaded by this misguided theory. Tragic because it is pure bunk. There, is no sound science to support the hypothesis of human-induced global warming, no scientific evidence to back up assertions that it is causing a rapid rise in sea levels and not a shred of truth to claims that cutting back on the use of fossil fuels as called for by Kyoto will do anything to protect Floridians.” [Slade O’Brien – Press Journal, 6/6/99]

O’Brien: “Advocates Of Human-Induced Global Warming Theories Have One Real Goal In Mind – The Control And Rationing Of Energy Use.” According to an opinion by CSE Florida Director Slade O’Brien in the Press Journal, “Advocates of human-induced global warming theories have one real goal in mind – the control and rationing of energy use. As the EPA conferences highlighted, things like truth, objectivity and reason must not be allowed to stand in the way.” [Slade O’Brien – Press Journal, 6/6/99]

CSE-FL “Lobbied For A Doubling Of Local Phone Rates”

Palm Beach Post Editorial: “CSE Lobbied For A Doubling Of Local Phone Rates; Public Outrage Forced The Legislature To Back Off.” According to the Palm Beach Post, “CSE wants to portray itself as taxpayer-friendly and credible. But Halloween has come and gone. Last spring, CSE lobbied for a doubling of local phone rates; public outrage forced the Legislature to back off.” [Palm Beach Post, 11/12/98]

Florida Citizens For A Sound Economy Urged Florida’s Public Service Commission To “Stop ‘Gaming’ The State’s Business And Residential Telecommunication Rate System.” According to U.S. Newswire, “Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) was urged today to stop ‘gaming’ the state’s business and residential telecommunication rate system at a field hearing held at the Palm Beach County Governmental Center.” [U.S. Newswire, 10/19/98]

Florida CSE Spokesperson Joyce Malone: “The Phone In Your House Is Subsidized By Businesses Of All Sizes And By Schools, Daycare Centers, And Charities.” According to U.S. Newswire, “‘The phone in your house is subsidized by businesses of all sizes and by schools, daycare centers and charities,’ testified Joyce Malone, a spokesperson with Florida Citizens for a Sound Economy. ‘It doesn’t matter if you are Donald Trump in Palm Beach or if you receive welfare — everyone receives subsidies.’” [U.S. Newswire, 10/19/98]