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Rep. West denies equating Social Security to slavery
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) on Monday blasted reports that he equated the Social Security program to “21st-century slavery,” writing on his Facebook page that he is “committed to protecting social security retirement benefits for retirees and future retirees.”
West often seeks to clear the air with constituents through a personal note on his Facebook page after a public appearance prompts national headlines. In this case, West wants constituents to know he does not want to abolish Social Security.
“We are creating economic dependence. That is what I am calling out,” West wrote. “This has nothing to do with the hardworking Americans who have earned their retirement.”
West has compared “economic dependence” to slavery several times in the past weeks.
"What we're doing is we're creating a welfare entitlement class," West told Fox News on Sunday, naming the rising number of Americans on Social Security disability and the poverty roll as well as increase in food stamp recipients and extension of unemployment benefits. “So once again we are creating the sense of economic dependence which, to me, is a form of modern, 21st-century slavery.”
West blasted the “liberal media” for reporting that he equated Social Security and slavery in the comment. West suggested his Facebook followers watch the interview for themselves.
“It seems that there is absolutely no level the attack machine will sink to deliberately distort my comments,” he wrote. “I was clearly talking about the number of people on Social Security disability- a completely separate issue then claims that I said I am against Social Security.”
The previous weekend, West accused President Obama of wanting American voters “to be his slave and be economically dependent on him.” He repeated the comment in his Facebook post:
What the liberal media machine wants to hide from you, and distort with my comments, is that the policies of President Barack Obama is making our nation one based on economic dependency -- and I call this a form of modern 21st Century slavery.
Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, pressed to respond to West’s controversial rhetoric, told CNN last week: “I’m not the police officer of the Republican party. So, Allen can say what Allen wants to say.”
He also defended West as “one of the most dynamic new Republican stars in our party,” saying, “I’m not going to throw Allen West in a ditch.”
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