FDR Library Blocks Social Security Forum

[lcooksey]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28299-2005Apr5.html

The guardian of the nation's historical records has joined the fray over President Bush's plan for private Social Security accounts. Last week, it blocked a coalition of women's organizations from holding a Social Security forum at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, N.Y., because the groups oppose Bush's proposed personal accounts.

"If you cannot provide at least one speaker who will speak on the features and merits of the administration's plan for Social Security, then I must ask that you find another venue for your program," the library's director, Cynthia M. Koch, wrote on March 31 to one of the groups sponsoring the forum. The library at the home of FDR -- who fathered the Social Security system 70 years ago -- is administered by the National Archives.

[Robbien]

1. Bush can speak only to GOPers, but non-GOPers have to be balanced?

You can voice your opinion to Ms. Koch at

[email protected].

[Liberty Belle]

13. How to "balance" the program:

Assure the librarian that the women now have a speaker who will speak on the merits of the Bush plan. Create a group with a fake name just for this purpose (ie, Coalition for Social Security Reform)

Then have the "pro" reform speaker discuss how the Bush privatization plan will provide big windfalls for corporate robber barons on Wall Street and in the financial industry--who are the only real beneficiaries of his loot-the-lockbox scheme.
B-)

[Triana]

2. FDR is probably rolling is his grave seeing...

...what shit-faced monkey boy is trying to do to SS.

[amber dog democrat]

3. What merits?

Finding some one who can speak on the merits of the Chimp's final solution for SS would be challenging indeed - if you go beyond neocons and Republicans.

[Ganja Ninja]

4. What plan?

How can someone speak on the merits of Bush's plan when even he admits he doesn't have one. He's yet to put forth anything in writing that will insure SS solvency. All he's doing is running his mouth about private accounts. He's waiting for the Democrats to come up with a plan so he can criticize them for raising taxes.

[amber dog democrat]

15. this is worse than the Chimperor's New Clothes.

It makes you wonder, don't people understand they are being sold a bill of goods ?

[Liberty Belle]

14. See my solution above for speaking on the "merits" ;-)

[Liberty Belle]

5. My letter to the fascist librarian:

Dear Ms. Koch:

It is unconscionable that a library named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt would ban a group interested in warning the pulbic about Bush's plan to destroy the Social Security program created by FDR. How DARE you try to force a woman's organization to include a speaker favoring this despicable action?

Bush wants to privatize Social Security for one reason only: to transfer funds into the corporate coffers of the Wall street robber barons who are his biggest campaign financiers. Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch were the biggest donors to the Bush-Cheney canmpaign.

Bush bars anyone who disagrees with him from speaking or even attending his Social Security town hall meetings. That is wrong, because he is a public official.

The women's club is private, however. A private organization has no obligation to include speakers with whom they disagree. I am chair of a partisan political organization that regularly holds meetings in our local public library. Thank goodness the librarian here does not presume to poke her nose into our club's business, where she clearly doesn't belong. What's next? Will you make Republicans include Democratic and Green Party speakers? Will you make men's clubs include women? Girl scouts invite boys?

If you don't change your mind and allow the women's group to hold their meeting with any speakers that they choose, then you should lose your job.

[Liberty Belle]

6. New Yorkers: Who has the power to fire this librarian?

Please post the name and contact info here. We should all write and demand that she lose her job.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. This is a presidential library...therefore, it is maintained by the

federal government...she isan employee of the National Archives. Her email address is 'nara.gov', so Bush is her employer!!

edited to clarify

[Liberty Belle]

10. Then it's even more of an outrage!

Please post local newspapers, with contact info, and TV stations in the area. Who are the Congressional Representatives? New Yorkers, you should be protesting in front of the library and creating a major ruckus over this.

[Cooley Hurd]

9. Sadly, none of FDR's decendents have any say over the LIbrary...

However, I hope Jimmy Roosevelt, Jr hears about this and raises hell!

I've googled for his email address, but to no avail. Anyone know how to reach him?

[Doremus]

8. If what she did isn't against the law

it should be.

Public funds operate that library and as such the rooms should be made available to the taxpayers who pay for it. Regardless of their politics.

[Liberty Belle]

11. Would the DA or AG for this area have any power?

[Liberty Belle]

12. Here's the solution (nefarious grin):

Assure the librarian that the women now have a speaker who will speak on the merits of the Bush plan. Create a group with a fake name just for this purpose (ie, Coalition for Social Security Reform)

Then have the "pro" reform speaker discuss how the Bush privatization plan will provide big windfalls for corporate robber barons on Wall Street and in the financial industry--who are the only real beneficiaries of his loot-the-lockbox scheme.

[Solly Mack]

16. Cynthia Koch? as in Doro Bush Koch? Those Koch's?

By chance?

what a crock of shit....

they can't use the place unless they give Bush a freebie...but Bush can have all the potemkin villages he wants to speak his garbage?

[despairing optimist]

17. I don't believe what I've just read. The head librarian in Hyde Park

sticking up for Republicans? They, who have hated Social Security from the start and called it socialism? They, who said the New Deal was the Jew Deal and played the race card long before Willie Horton was even born? They, who in a similar situation would not hesitate to bar Democratic speakers?

FDR invited opposing points of view within the limits of his party and presided over a coalition that was broad enough but not so broad as to include his adversaries. Ms. Koch is way out of line.

FDR's grandson has already spoken out against the Bush plan, I think. Surely he can be informed of this and do something about it.