> Can someone fill me in on who the Concord Coalition is?
It's a "grassroots" organization founded by Pete Peterson, the head of an investment banking outfit, Blackstone Group, which I think sells a bunch of mutual funds, mostly municipal bonds.
He was the Secty of Commerce under Reagan.
He opposes Social Security for ideological reasons apparently.
The Concord Coalition says its purpose is to "reform" Social Security, but I believe its purpose is to destroy it.
Several years ago, its schtick was "means testing". Now, it is privatization. I used to browse the site, and at one time it had the results of a survey that recommended changing the Concord Coalition's language to "saving" Social Security instead of ending it. I saw the survey recommendation with my own eyes.
J. R. Kerrey former Democratic Senator from Nebraska (don't mix him up with Sen John Kerry of Mass), and Warren Rudman, former Republican Senator from New Hampshire, are now chairmen, but I believe Peterson still runs the show.
Kerrey introduced one of the more threatening privatization bills with Moynihan a couple of years ago.
Peterson has written several books scolding the improvidence of Social Security, something like "When will we grow up?" I forget the exact title.
The Concord Coalition seems to have faded in recent times. At least, I'm not seeing them quoted in the newsgroups.
-- John K. Taber
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