Tag Archives: Barack Obama

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

UPDATE: Bush tax cuts


Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Obama, are you kidding?? 

Join 100,000 others in telling President Obama — stop caving. Start fighting the Republicans.

Since Thursday, over 100,000 people joined our campaign telling President Obama to “fight, don’t cave” on tax cuts. The Washington Post, MSNBC, and others have covered our petition’s progress.

But the Washington Post also reports that while the President was out of the country, his advisers did some “soul searching” and came up with this brilliant conclusion: Obama “must forge partnerships with Republicans on key issues.”

ARE YOU KIDDING??? Proposing compromise with the current Republicans is like getting punched in the face repeatedly and then proposing that “both sides” stop punching each other in the face.

Tell President Obama that Americans want him to START FIGHTING on issues like ending the Bush tax cuts for millionaires — and Democrats will keep losing if he keeps caving. Sign the petition here.

Then, share this email to others.

Let’s be clear: Republican leaders have zero interest in compromise. None. Zilch. Nada.

“Bipartisanship” to them means Democrats vote for Republican ideas. Obama and his advisers need to understand that.

Even when the overwhelming majority of Americans supported the public option, not a single Republican leader said they’d consider voting for it. Instead, they called Obama a “socialist” for supporting the will of the people — and Obama never fought back or rallied their constituents against them.

The American people don’t want Obama to “compromise” just for the sake of compromising. And they certainly don’t support cutting Social Security to pay for tax cuts for millionaires.

When Obama is right and Republicans are wrong, Americans want their President to fight and win.

Join 100,000 others in telling President Obama to “fight, not cave” on ending the Bush tax cuts for millionaires. Click here — then, share with others.

The AFL-CIO and Democracy for America have joined us in calling for one vote on tax cuts — for the middle class, not the rich — and DARING Republicans to vote no.

Working together, we’ll push Democratic leaders until they finally fight for “change we can believe in.”

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

— Adam Green, Stephanie Taylor, Forrest Brown, Michael Snook, and the PCCC team

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Open Letter to the American People

1 Comment

To the American People:

The midterm elections that just passed were not about political parties and partisan scorekeeping. They were about you: your families, your jobs, your economic security and your future.

The message that you sent to Washington is that you want Democrats, Republicans and Independents to work together to find the common ground needed for real solutions and real progress. Democrats agree. We understand the frustration felt by all Americans – especially our middle class. We heard you, loud and clear. We’re frustrated too and will continue to fight for what you demand and deserve.

Democrats will keep fighting to make sure that big banks, big oil, those who want to privatize Social Security and other powerful special interests are prevented from taking advantage of you. We also welcome every opportunity to work with our Republican colleagues as we know the challenges that lie ahead of us know no political affiliation.

And with Republicans securing more seats in both houses of Congress, it is imperative they take their responsibility to offer bipartisan solutions more seriously. Simply saying ‘no’ will do nothing to create more jobs and strengthen our economy.

You will hear many of the media pundits say this was a tough election for those on the ballot this year, but we know that is nothing compared to the fight that middle-class families are facing to stay in their homes, find good jobs and make ends meet.

The time for politics is now over. Democrats will spare no effort to get back to work immediately in order to restore the American Dream for you and your families.

Sincerely,

Harry Reid

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

hell no!


 

Social Security cuts are coming for “virtually every American alive and those yet to be born.”1

And for what? Corporate tax cuts.2

Seriously: the co-chairs of President Obama’s deficit commission want to cut Social Security benefits for everyone making more than $25,000 a year. And then lower corporate taxes to just 26%.

Every member of this commission, every member of Congress, and President Obama himself must reject these insane ideas. We’re starting an emergency petition to President Obama and his Catfood Commission to take Social Security cuts off the table.

Sign our petition to President Obama and his Catfood Commission: hands off Social Security. Click here to add your name:

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/handsoffss

The proposed cuts to Social Security are so deep, for so many people. This is a direct attack on America’s middle class for the benefit of Corporate America.

These ideas are so awful, sixteen other members of the Catfood Commission didn’t want to touch it.3 Problem is, this is the “starting point” for discussions. This will be negotiated, and many of these awful ideas could be in the final proposal. We need to stop it now.

It’s bad enough to even think about cutting Social Security – but to do it to pay for corporate tax cuts? That’s insane.

This is President Obama’s commission, and he has the power to shut it down. The other commission members can put their feet down and say no to Social Security cuts. Let’s make them do it.

Say “Hell No” to Social Security cuts. Click here to sign the petition.

Thanks for all you do to protect Social Security.

Michael Whitney
Firedoglake.com

1. Statement of Eric Kingson, Co-chair, Strengthen Social Security Campaign. 11/10/10
2. “Fiscal Commission Recommendations: VA Co-Pays, Top Tax Rate 23%” David Dayen, Firedoglake. 11/10/10 http://fdl.me/9DQmLx
3. U.S. Debt Proposal Would Cut Social Security, Taxes, Medicare. Bloomberg News, 11/10/10 http://fdl.me/aaTRoL

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

BoldProgressives.org


Progressive Change Campaign Committee

 

BREAKING: The “bipartisan” deficit reduction commission — appointed by President Obama and led by millionaires — just made their ideas public. And they are ridiculous.

They recommend to Congress cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age. (Shockingly, the commission of millionaires didn’t focus on raising taxes on the wealthy.)

We need to respond fast to make sure this goes nowhere. House Progressive Caucus Chair Raul Grijalva (who we just helped re-elect) has boldly organized over 100 of his colleagues to fight this proposal.

We need to show they have grassroots support. Can you join over 31,000 others in being a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter? Click here.

Then, share with others — including on Facebook or Twitter.

We’ll inform Grijalva of our progress, so he can work with us to inform the media of this grassroots support.

Just today, Talking Points Memo reported on a poll we commissioned asking voters their preference on how to reduce the deficit:

  • 43% say raise taxes on the wealthy
  • 22% say cut the huge military budget
  • Only 12% say cut Social Security

Yet this “bipartisan” commission of millionaires recommends the exact opposite? Nancy Pelosi calls it “simply unacceptable.”

Help House progressives declare loudly: Cutting Social Security is simply not an option. Click to be a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter — then share this email with others.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

— Stephanie Taylor, Julia Rosen, Jason Rosenbaum, Forrest Brown, and the PCCC team

Save Social Security!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

They just declared war on Social Security …a message from Arshad


We knew this day was coming — Yesterday, the co-chairs of the Deficit Commission declared war on Social Security.

And it’s not just Social Security they’re going after. They’re declaring war on Medicare, the National Park Service and PBS, too.

Well, the Deficit Commission doesn’t speak for me — or the vast majority of Americans — and Congress needs to know it. Join me today and sign our pledge to Congress rejecting the Deficit Commission’s right-wing attacks on Social Security.

Add your name now

The Co-Chairs of the Commission released their proposal today. One member of the commission referred to the plan as “a good start”. It’s our job to make sure they know it’s Dead on Arrival. Here’s a quick sample of just some of what they’re calling for:

  • Cut Social Security benefits
  • Raise the retirement age
  • Cut funding to the National Park Service
  • Cut funding to PBS

When we say that the Deficit Commission doesn’t speak for the vast majority of Americans, we have the numbers to back it up.

On Election Day, Democracy for America polled voters nationwide and when asked about Social Security only four percent supported making cuts to Social Security. Over half support eliminating the Social Security tax cap for income over $106,000 a year and 31 percent said they wouldn’t change anything at all.

Let me say that again so Congress gets the message — We polled the exact same people who voted to put Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives and 85 percent of voters don’t want any cuts to Social Security.

This might be the only thing that 85 percent of Americans can agree on. Help make sure Congress gets the message.

Call on Congress to reject the Deficit Commission’s recommendations now.

When we asked DFA members what we needed to work on after the election, the answer was loud and clear — Stand up for Social Security. And we are.

Join us today and tell Congress to reject the Deficit Commission.

-Arshad

Arshad Hasan, Executive Director
Democracy for America

P.S. You can check the full results of our SurveyUSA 2010 Election Day poll here.