Anchor notes: John King on Joe Miller
Washington (CNN) - Joe Miller calls President Obama "bad for America" and suggests he is leading the nation on a path to socialism. But the newly minted GOP Senate nominee from Alaska also has a message for the Republican Leadership. Not to mention unapologetic views on cutting federal spending and even possibly phasing out Social Security.
A few highlights from an interview taped Wednesday, the day after tea party favorite Miller clinched the GOP nomination. (Defeating incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski.)
"There is an opportunity to lead this country out of the crisis its in and I believe the Republican Party is well suited to take up that mantle," Miller said in an interview for Wednesday's "John King, USA." which will air at 7pm. "The question is whether or not there's the courage and leadership in that party to seize the moment and to recognize that the only way out of this is to get out of the age of the entitlement state to return power back to the states and recognize that central government is broken and see what we can do about fixing things and getting the government focused on those areas the enumerated powers that it should be doing. And the Republican Party can do it but it does require courage."
So is Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky the right GOP Senate leader or should the party choose a new one?
"Anybody that embraces this message can move it forward so that's going to be up to the Republican party. It's going to be up to the people of this great nation," Miller said. "I believe that the party should embrace that message. I think it is the future of this nation. I think it will lead us out of this mess. But let's just wait and see what happens."
Democrats have labeled Miller an extremist who would abolish Social Security. He is quick to make some important distinctions about those currently receiving benefits, but is forceful in making the case be believes major changes are needed down the road. Consider this exchange:
Miller: "Longer term there has got to be a move outside of that system. Ultimately we want to transfer the power back to the states so that states can take up the mantle of those programs if they so desire. In, you know, the shorter term, I think there have been many plans proposed that can move the shift or shift this away from government control and into a sector where we can actually protect those funds
"I mean if its a privatized system, for example, I can ensure that I put my money into an account that the government is not going to steal from. ... I think most Americans recognize that that system is broken and they understand that there has got to be a change longer term to bring back some fiscal sanity and to ensure that you can actually have something when you do retire rather than depend on these IOUs that when we go insolvent aren't going to be worth much."
KING: "It is an issue that you well know can be easily demagogued, so I want to deliver a statement. You tell me if it's fair or not: That anybody in the system or close to the system is fine. We won't do anything significant to change your benefits. But how about an American born tomorrow or born the day after Joe Miller was sworn in in Washington? Would that person perhaps grow up in an America where there is not a federal Social Security program if you got your way?
MILLER: "Absolutely.
KING: "That's a fair statement?"
MILLER: "No demagoguery there at all."
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I guess he would have no problem giving up his benefits first... politicians get their pension and free government health care... yet still have the nerve to speak against it while taking it... that's like a bank robber saying don't rob people to the people he just robbed!
WOW, what a surprise, a member of the GOP says Obama is bad for America? If so, I would like to have more like Obama and a lot fewer GOP idiots like Beck and Limbaugh, not to mention Miller. None of them understands Socialism as a political theory, and in fact Obama is a pragmatic centrist-not even close. But the GOP cannot help but resort to the tactics of scariness and fear, since their "solutions" have never worked except for the rich!
so the Republican Party can lead us out of the wilderness huh? A person backed by Sarah Palin calls the president "bad for America". If this wasn't so predictable it would really be funny because the party of NO answers has only the ability to call names.
I wish Mr. Miller the best, but surely he knows he's facing an impossible obstacle. Social Security is the largest Ponzi scheme in the history of the world, and like all Ponzi schemes, it can't be ended without people on the bottom being hurt. It was designed cleverly so as to be impossible to terminate, and it will forever be a blight on the American economy.
What a moron!
The glorification of ignorance continues unabated. Trash talk and bullies is all the republicans have. NO INTEGRITY.
What a blithering idiot. Almost as incomprehensible as Palin.
"There is an opportunity to lead this country out of the crisis its in and I believe the Republican Party is well suited to take up that mantle."
(the crisis for which the Republican party is responsible?)
"getting the government focused on those areas the enumerated powers that it should be doing"
what does that mean?
I'll take a brilliant, wise, educated, hard-working, honest president like Obama who actually cares about the American people and the future of our country any day over these Republican (lying, hypocritical) quacks.
This Alaskan moron need to go see Russia from his house. He should see to it that Alaska seceedes from the union since Alaskans are so unpatriotic.I wish they still belong to Russia. Maybe then they would realize what a great they a a honor it is to be an american.They are a bunch of slime balls –just like the wasilla hillbillies.
I know I would love to have the money I pay towards Social Security put into my paycheck. I only make $35,000 a year so that 4 grand I pay for Social Security is huge for me. I could live better and save more for myself if I had that money. I sat down w/ my parents this past weekend and had to show them that had they not been paying Social Security all these years, their home would be paid for and they could have saved almost as much as they can expect from Social Security after they retire... all of this before they turn 55. They still have years to work to save more money. The idea behind Social Security is wonderful. But if if worked so wonderfully, then why aren't our congressional representatives on it? It just doesn't work once government gets its hand on it. The pigs are walking!!
Republicans spent 12 years in Congress 8 years in the White house and this guy has the nerve to say Obama is bad for America?
He has been in office for 19 months, the propsals he has made that actually got passed have yet to be put in play except for a very few, So who is the real holder of blame for a trillion dollar war with no funding, tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation of financial instiutions,oil and Wall St.? Tell him to look at the party he calls home, then to the thinking of the people that back him.
Our infrstructure is in shambles, Big business is sitting on hords of money to give back to stockholder or put inot bonuses based on profit and everyone blames the Democrats. Time to wake up America- this is not your father country where business cared for the indivdual- it's all about greed.
Wow A GOP candidate saying that Obama is "bad for America"...Imagine that.....This is "news"....Oh, that's right , its CNN......
good buy to ,social security, medicare,healthcare only for politicans and the wealthy,tax cuts for the rich,unemployment insurance,deregulation,s more money wars,education only for rich,welcome to the corperate states of america run buy the top 2%OF AMERICANS good bye middle class, good bye made in america
Republicans want to phase out Social Security??????Why????They are really very dangerous nut cases. I wouldn't vote for a Republican if Jesus came back to Earth with a big red "R" in back of his name!
I am really tired of Republicans answer of "privitization" for everything. They just want to take away the public programs so they can find ways to exploit the poor for financial gain. How about telling us what your ideas actually are instead of pointing the finger and yelling "socialisim" while you wave a flag and hold a cross/pitchfork?
I am going to start attending every political debate in the next 3 months and just keep on asking the same questions- HOW do you propose we fix this, and what are YOU going to do, versus what is the other person not doing. All politicians are too scared to say what they really mean or want to do so in essence we are just electing weasel people pleasers or good actors who only want air time. At least Obama is doing the things he promised- even though they are not popular- and standing strong while bigots sling slurs like "Muslim" like that religion as a whole is evil.
I am certainly not a History major, but have states had complete independent power since...uhhh...1860 something?
So there's another Tea Party guy out to lunch!
Too bad Enron's gone. They could have managed the privatized social security funds for us.
Okay Alaska. After Sarah Palin, are you really going to follow her performance with this guy? Heaven help us.
Oh, goody, Alaska elected another looney!!! Must run in their genes!
It would be a shame if any of these idiots read a junior high civics book and figured out what socialism really is. But then they wouldn't be able to scare the sheep.
Fascism has come to America wrapped in the U.S. flag and carrying a cross...
What the Fascists fear most of all is intelligence.
Stay stupid America, they love you that way.
I'm not sure why the leading paragraph in this article puts so much negative emphasis on his proposed phasing out of Social Security. Knowing that Palin heavily endorsed Joe Miller, I can say right off the bat that I won't tend to agree with most of his policies. However, allowing states– or at least some other entity– to control Social Security-type funding is not a bad idea at all. Either that or the government ought to completely segregate the collection and distribution of Social Security funds from the rest of its tax collection process. SS shouldn't just be another pool of funds that the government can use if it decides it needs to. In short, it is not the governments money to spend; let's find a way to prevent them from spending it.
This man better not get elected.He scares the hell out of me.
Ah, you can smell the testosterone.
I assume Mr. Miller drives a pick-up?