Tag Archives: senate spot

In the Library … “Social Security Works!”

08/14/2015 Nativegrl77

Nancy Altman and EricKingson, Social Security Works’ co-founders, have written a book that representsthe culmination of the work that we have all been doing. Simply called “Social Security Works!”, the book explains why NOW is the time to expand Social Security.If we can reach a #1 ranking on Amazon.com during this week, that will send a strong statement that the movement to expand Social Security and increase benefits cannot be ignored.

Click here to get Social Security Works (the Book)!Here’s what Senator Bernie Sanders has to say about the book:

“Social Security Works! puts expanding Social Security front and center on the national agenda, where it belongs. Everyone who has a stake in the debate should read this important book.”

Simply put, the book makes the case that Social Security is the program that can help stop the collapse of the middle class, lessen the pressure squeezing families from all directions, and help end the upward redistribution of wealth that has resulted in perilous levels of inequality.

Click here to get Social Security Works (the Book)! If you already read your copy click the link and give us a 5 star review on Amazon.

We’re going all-in on expansion in 2015 and we’re kicking the year off with a book release that will bring the real story of Social Security to the entire country. The book explains that not only can we afford to increase Social Security benefits, we can’t afford not to.

This book is a culmination of the work that we have been doing since our founding in 2010 and comes at the perfect time to grow the movement for Social Security expansion.

Thank you,
Roger Hickey
Campaign for America’s Future

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Walker’s Wisconsin

08/13/2015 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

As Governor, Scott Walker Has Protected The Wealthy Few At The Expense Of Middle-Class Families

The GOP has its newest official candidate today, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker becoming the 15th Republican candidate to enter the presidential race. While Gov. Walker claims he is worried about the American dream becoming “out of reach” for too many families, his record in Wisconsin has proven to promote an economy that benefits the wealthy few at the expense of the middle class. New analysis by CAP Action shows that during Walker’s tenure, middle-class incomes fell $728 from 2011 to 2013, ranking the state 44th in the nation in middle-class income growth. Meanwhile, the 1% have the lowest tax rates in the state.

Even in the midst of his presidential announcement, Gov. Walker has continued hurting the middle class. Yesterday, Walker signed a state budget which included a last-minute amendment to remove a provision to allow workers to file a complaint if they are not paid a “living wage.” The living wage in Wisconsin, according to an MIT study, comes out to $10.13 an hour, while the minimum wage in Wisconsin is only $7.25. That means that if Walker were to actually follow the state’s living wage law, the 41,000 minimum wage workers in the state would earn $5,990 more per year, putting a cumulative $245,600,000 in the pockets of Wisconsin workers annually.

Check out this infographic to get the facts on Walker’s Wisconsin:

BOTTOM LINE: Scott Walker has feigned concern for the middle class, but the reality is that he has stood on the side of the wealthy few. From tax breaks for the top one percent to eliminating the state’s living wage laws, hardworking Wisconsin families have paid the price for Walker’s political gain.

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Scott Walker: Pro-Growth For Who?

08/13/2015 Nativegrl77

By CAP Action War Room

Debunking The Rhetoric Of Gov. Walker’s Presidential Campaign Announcement

Scott Walker formally announced his candidacy for President of the United States last night, arguing that he is the candidate who would usher in a pro-growth era in America. He pledged that he is “for building a better economy where everyone can live their piece of the American Dream. That’s pro-growth.” But a closer examination of Walker’s record shows that he is only concerned about growth for the very rich.

Under Walker’s watch, the middle class in Wisconsin has suffered, but the wealthy few have flourished. This is hardly surprising as attacks on workers, stagnant wages, and favors for wealthy donors like the Koch Brothers have been hallmarks of Walker’s regime.

Since his speech yesterday, we have compiled a look at the gap between Scott Walker’s rhetoric and the reality of his policies.

Rhetoric: “To ensure that prosperity, we need to be for a pro-growth economic plan that helps individuals and families earn, save and achieve their piece of the American Dream,” he stated.

Reality: Middle class families in Wisconsin have found it harder to achieve the American Dream with their incomes falling under Walker’s watch.

According to a new CAP Action analysis, median household income fell $728 from 2011 to 2013.
Wisconsin ranked 44th for middle class income growth from 2011 to 2013.

Rhetoric: “Next, we need to help people get the education and the skills they need to succeed. This will help people find careers that pay far more than the minimum wage.”

Reality: Walker has refused to implement a Wisconsin law that would boost wages for workers. Instead, he is actively changing the law to evade paying higher wages for workers.

Last year, Wisconsin workers sued Gov. Scott Walker for refusing to consider increasing the state’s $7.25 minimum wage under the state’s living wage law. Yet on Sunday, Walker signed a budget gutting Wisconsin’s living wage law.
Wisconsin’s living wage is $10.13 per hour, according to research by MIT, but the state’s minimum wage is only $7.25. If Walker were to have followed the state’s living wage law, every minimum wage worker would earn $5,990 more per year, putting a total of $245,600,000 in the pockets of Wisconsin workers annually.

Rhetoric: “To help live that dream, we have a plan to help the people of this country create more jobs and higher wages.”

Reality: Job growth in Wisconsin has suffered since Walker took office.

When Walker took office in 2011, Wisconsin ranked 35th in the nation for job growth.
Wisconsin’s ranking has fallen since then. In 2014, Wisconsin ranked 38th in the nation for job growth.

Rhetoric: “And then, we need to lower the burden on hard-working taxpayers to improve take-home pay. …The government could charge the higher rates and a few of you could afford it. Or, we can lower the rates and broaden the base and increase the volume of people participating in our economy.”

Walker’s tax packages gave the richest 20% in Wisconsin the largest share of tax cuts—50% of all the tax cuts. Meanwhile, the middle class received only 15% of the share of tax cuts.
In 2015, the richest 1% in Wisconsin paid a lower share of their income in taxes than any other income group, including the poorest Wisconsinites.

Rhetoric: “Since I’ve been Governor, we took on the unions and won.”

Reality: Walker often proudly points to his fight to strip collective bargaining rights from workers as one of his biggest accomplishments. But unions are integral to the health of the middle class.

Reality: Walker’s tax cuts have disproportionally benefitted the wealthy few who need it the least.

As Wisconsin’s union membership rate has fallen, so has the share of income going to the middle class:

BOTTOM LINE: Scott Walker is loudly trumpeting his goal as a presidential candidate to “fight and win.” But for whom? As Governor, the winners have been the wealthy few who benefited the most from his tax cuts and already pay lower taxes than anyone. The losers have been hardworking everyday Wisconsinites who have seen incomes fall, job growth slow, and the middle class under attack. That’s been wrong for Wisconsin, and it’s wrong for the country.

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a message from Major General (Ret.) Paul Eaton, VoteVets.org

08/12/2015 Nativegrl77

Two choices: Diplomacy or War

“And if the rhetoric in these ads, and the accompanying commentary, sounds familiar, it should — for many of the same people who argued for the war in Iraq are now making the case against the Iran nuclear deal.” – President Obama, August 5, 2015

the President laid out the case for why Congress should approve the deal negotiated between the United States, our partners in the P5+1, and Iran.

The choice is clear: Congress must approve the deal.

Not only is a deal the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but if the agreement falls apart, Iran will get everything they want: sanctions will begin to unravel, America will lose some of its standing in the world, and Iran’s path to the bomb will only accelerate. In short, it’s almost everything the hardliners in Iran are hoping for.

As Congress heads home for recess before the September vote, they need to hear from veterans, military family members and VoteVets supporters on this issue.

Tell your representative and senators that you expect them to vote to APPROVE the deal negotiated with Iran that will prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

There are ultimately two choices here: diplomacy or war.

For some neoconservatives, they are happy to cast their lot with more war. For them, force is the only tool in America’s foreign policy arsenal. But we’ll be there to counter their worldview every step of the way in this debate.

We have a very unique voice in the conversation.

Make yours heard.

Major General (Ret.) Paul Eaton
VoteVets