Free Republic

Alan Simpson violated a taboo last week when he likened Social Security to "a milk cow with 310 million tits." But contrary to the dictionary-deprived critics who accused him of sexist vulgarity, the former Wyoming senator's transgression had nothing to do with his use of a perfectly acceptable synonym for teat. Simpson's real sin was "belittling a bedrock program," as the AARP put it -- i.e., showing insufficient reverence for a sacred cow. To Simpson's detractors, it is self-evident that a man who supports entitlement reform has no business serving on, let alone co-chairing, a presidential commission devoted to fiscal...

Liberals and groups in favor of preserving Social Security are calling for the co-chair of President Obama's deficit commission to resign after he said in an e-mail that Social Security is "a milk cow with 310 million tits." In a letter responding to criticisms against him from a group representing older women, former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson wrote that he has "spent many years in public life trying to stabilize" Social Security. However, he wrote, "Yes, I've made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know 'em too. It's the...