Al Gore and the "Lockbox"

[WilliamPitt]

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/100520/al_gore_had_a_plan_to_avoid_this_economic_crisis_8_years_ago/

Al Gore Had a Plan to Avoid this Economic Crisis 8 Years Ago
by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

In the middle of the night last night, I awoke from a dream about Al Gore. It wasn't really a dream in the traditional sense, so much as it was a memory. I was recalling, from somewhere deep in my subconscious, one of his debates against Bush in 2000, during which Gore was talking about how he was going to take the budgetary surplus created during the Clinton presidency and put it in a lockbox to protect our social safety net.

And Bush was sneering at him.

When I woke up, I remembered how Al Gore was viciously mocked for his "lockbox" campaign theme, everywhere from SNL skits to mainstream debate coverage: "He must have used the word 'lockbox' about 20 times." Even after he'd lost, the media harangued him about his lockbox: "Well, maybe the beard should go into the lockbox!"

Al Gore's lockbox was routinely treated like the butt of a joke. Silly, nerdy, wonky Al Gore with his dorky lockbox!









Just sayin'.

Did I describe that as a dream, the thing I had last night? No -- it was a nightmare.

[ailsagirl]

1. I'd almost forgotten about that "lock box"-- thanks for posting!!

Wish Gore had been allowed to take his hard-won place as leader of our country. "sigh"

[Uncle Joe]

2. Something is wrong with that link, the column pops up for a second and then disappears.

Thanks for the thread, WilliamPitt.:thumbsup:

[amdezurik]

3. One of the reasons I stopped caring about SNL

was that BS. Same with South Park and their seeming unthinking grudge against Al, Their GW denial (claiming he is only chasing a mythical animal similar to Big Foot) is just stale and tired like the show itself.

[Sparkly]

4. His lockbox was about Social Security, as I recall.

He didn't want SS money dipped into for any other purpose.

The surplus was for paying down the debt and investing in programs to keep things growing.

That's my recollection of it, anyway.

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Regardless. A virtual lockbox can accommodate anything.

Had Gore not been prevented from taking office, that lockbox would have accommodated anything and everything we would have needed it to.

[Sparkly]

19. Just correcting the record -- he used the term about SS, not the surplus

unless I'm mistaken.

He also had a "rainy-day fund," and he chaired a commission on airline security, he had strong alternative energy proposals of course -- yup, this whole 8-year nightmare wouldn't have happened with President Gore.

[ColbertWatcher]

20. I figured, but I was trying to say that ...

... if (when) the SocSec lockbox proved successful, it could be used for anything (everything) else.

[Winterblues]

5. Are you making the preposterous suggestion we wouldn't be in this boat if we had Al Gore

Instead of the "Decider"? :+ The only bad thing from an Al Gore Presidency would have been Joe Lieberman. Normally Al makes very smart decisions, but that one just never did sit right with me. Just think what a great opportunity America missed out on...Instead we have the complete break down of all things American..

[FourScore]

6. How apropo, on the eve of the debate. n/t

[livelongandprosper]

7. Mocking the lockbox was just another example of

the utter idiocy of US political culture. They thought it was funny when it was deadly serious. Idiots.

Gore also wanted to use the surplus to pay down the debt. Bush wanted to use it to give huge tax break to his wealthy buddies. And 50% of voters thought that was a good idea. Idiots.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. Thanks for posting...Gore was prescient...and very smart.

[elizfeelinggreat]

10. Al Gore is an American Hero

and always will be - for many, many reasons.

[FirstLight]

11. hey, what is that pic? n/t

[elizfeelinggreat]

12. Katrina

Al Gore airlifts Katrina victims out of New Orleans

By Duncan Mansfield / Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Al Gore helped airlift some 270 Katrina evacuees on two private charters from New Orleans, acting at the urging of a doctor who saved the life of the former vice president's son.

Gore criticized the Bush administration's slow response to Katrina in a speech Friday in San Francisco, but refused to be interviewed about the mercy missions he financed and flew on Sept. 3 and 4.

However, Dr. Anderson Spickard, who is Gore's personal physician and accompanied him on the flights, said: "Gore told me he wanted to do this because like all of us he wanted to seize the opportunity to do what one guy can do, given the assets that he has."

[FirstLight]

15. god do I LOVE that man!

it makes me cry to think what we missed without him at the helm

[King Coal]

13. HEY! Will Pitt is back? When did he come back? Why didn't anyone tell me he was back?

Oh, wait, I was just dreaming.
:rofl:

[Cetacea]

14. Unlike "It Is Over" OP, this is very true.

Lorne sold out years ago. He and his show are dead to me.

[proud patriot]

16. it's been an eight year nightmare

x(

[ailsagirl]

18. MUCH worse than we ever imagined it could be...

I just hope it's sliding into the past-- no more repugs, please!!! They dug themselves a deep hole yet they continue to blame us. I'm tired of living in "Through the Looking Glass."

:rant:

[proud patriot]

21. much much worse

:hug:

[ailsagirl]

23. "hug" back atcha

:pals:

[Gregorian]

17. Thanks for that reminder. I had forgotten. (sigh)

Well tonight it changes.

I want to say that even once this is all over. Once we have an intelligent group of beings in the White House. Even when we solve the horrors that have been placed upon us, the monster looming in the background is so huge it dwarfs it all. Here we have sat, going backwards. Playing politics. Playing semantics. Lockbox my ass. And I blame the public just as much as Rove.

Damnit. Thank you Will. You'll never know how much I appreciate the support I've gotten from this forum. This kind of post, as tiny as it is, is helpful. Just a reminder of what we have been through.

[a kennedy]

22. Not me, I remember that LOCK BOX idea like it was last week.....

and d*mn them all to h*ll for not doing that. :cry: and what about them d*mn IOU's in that lock box. :cry: :cry: :cry: