Tag Archives: Social Security

‘No Child Left Behind’ Overhaul Will Benefit Washington
State Students and Schools

This week, I worked hard to pass a major education bill
through committee that addresses the concerns that I have heard over and over
from parents and schools across Washington state This bipartisan legislation is
a strong step in the right direction for Washington state students. Although
it’s not perfect, it is the result of true bipartisan compromise. This
legislation builds on what is working in our schools, and it gives districts
and schools across our state the tools and flexibility they need to offer every
student the opportunity to get the education and skills they need to fill the
jobs of the 21 ^st century.

I am going to keep working to pass this bill into law and
improve education for students and schools in Washington state and across the
country. I worked closely with my colleagues on the HELP committee as this
legislation was written, and a few key pieces are based on bills I have
introduced, including a comprehensive literacy section based on my LEARN Act and a high school reform program that
focuses on career pathways based on legislation I introduced earlier this year.

—————

Bringing Our Soldiers Home from Iraq

On Friday, the President announced a full troop withdrawal
from Iraq after nine years of war there. The announcement marks a bittersweet
milestone in a war that has cost our nation dearly but has also repeatedly
reminded us of the courage, sacrifice, and selflessness of our nation’s men and
women in uniform. Our troops and their families have done everything we’ve
asked of them and more. Now, more than ever, it’s time to ensure that we are
keeping up our end of the promise to provide the health care, benefits, and
opportunities our service members deserve as they return from the battlefields
of Iraq to communities across Washington state and the nation.

————————————————————————————————-

WA Seniors, Veterans to Benefit from Cost of Living
Adjustment

Last week, it was announced that there will be an automatic
cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 3.6 percent for Social Security benefits
beginning next year. This is the first COLA since 2009. This is long-awaited
good news for Washington state seniors who, for the past few years, have been struggling
to make ends meet without an increase. Social Security has provided millions of
seniors with a foundation of economic security and lifted millions more out of
poverty. This announcement shows our seniors that this vital program is working
for them at a time when they need it the most.

Veterans Sharing in Cost of Living Increase

Last week I also helped pass a bill to provide a COLA
adjustment for America’s veterans. The Veterans COLA legislation, which I
sponsored, will affect several important benefits, including veterans’
disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving
spouses and children. It is projected that over 3.9 million veterans and
survivors will receive compensation benefits in Fiscal Year 2012. A cost-of-living
increase for our veterans is long overdue and well deserved. Particularly in
this difficult economy, our veterans deserve a boost in their benefits. This is
an important step for our veterans, especially on the heels of the news that a
COLA will be provided for the first time since 2009.

—————————————————————————–

President Obama’s Jobs Bill

The Washington state families that are living this jobs
crisis can’t afford politics as usual. When I talk to those who are searching
every day for a paycheck to support their families, it’s clear that they don’t
care who gets credit for job creation efforts or whose election chances it
might bolster. Their only questions are: ‘Will it work?’ ‘Will it impact my
life?’ and ‘When will I begin to see relief?’

Two weeks ago, President Obama introduced his plan for
fixing America’s jobs crisis. Unfortunately, the plan was voted down by
Republicans in Congress. Despite this setback we will not allow partisan
politics to get in the way of helping those who need it most. That is why I am
continuing to fight for the plan the President has put forward – piece by piece
if need be. I’m going to continue to work to ensure we push job-creating
measures, including investing in repairing and rebuilding our crumbling and
congested infrastructure, hiring our nation’s veterans, and retraining those
workers who were left behind by a recession they didn’t cause but are still
reeling from.

———————————————————————————

Calling on VA to Provide Critical Answers about Military Sexual Trauma Data

Last week, I joined my colleague U.S. Senator Jon Tester in sending a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey about the critical need to clarify VA’s disability claims process related to Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Far too many servicemembers, both men and women, are returning home from service carrying the devastating wounds that result from MST. After sacrificing so much to serve their county, they often face tremendous challenges in obtaining the services and benefits they desperately need. That is why we urged VA to take further action to ensure that veterans who suffer disabilities related to MST will have their claims properly decided. Our letter requests explicit guarantees that concerns about the ability to correctly identify and adjudicate claims for disabilities based on MST are immediately addressed by Veterans Benefits Administration.

Speaking Out Against Bullying

On Thursday, October 20 ^th, my staff and I wore purple in recognition of Spirit Day and to speak out against the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

Twitter Round-Up

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Test your knowledge: Take the Mitt quiz …Brad Woodhouse, Democrats.org

10/20/2011 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

The Mitt Romney who’s running for the Republican presidential nomination has said he would sign legislation to end Medicare as we know it, slash Social Security, and repeal health care reform as one of his first acts in office.

But over the years, Mitt Romney has supported expanding access to health care, protecting a woman’s right to choose, and investing in infrastructure — just like the kind in the Recovery Act that brought us back from the brink of a depression.

It’s one thing for a politician’s positions to evolve over time. It’s another to flip back and forth over the course of a 20-year political career based on what office you’re running for and where.

And that’s exactly what Romney has shown: He has no core convictions or values. With him, it’s all just politics.

It makes you wonder — which Mitt would we get in the White House?

And which Mitt would we be relying on to make decisions on behalf of millions of Americans, during a crisis, or as commander in chief?

So we took a hard look at his record, everywhere he’s stood on the issues, and put it all together in the form of a new site, www.WhichMitt.com

We can’t predict exactly how Mitt would govern as president, but you can take the quiz to test how well you know his track record to get an idea — and perhaps learn a little more about the man some are calling the Republican front-runner.

Which Mitt do you know?

The answer may surprise you:

http://www.WhichMitt.com

Thanks,

Brad

Brad Woodhouse
Communications Director
Democratic National Committee

P.S. — After you check out the quiz, pass this note on to your friends and family, and challenge them to beat your score.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Help Save Dixie’s Home … Stop foreclosure on a 71-year-old cancer survivor

10/18/2011 Nativegrl77

Below is an email from Ian Pajer-Rogers, a MoveOn member who created a petition at SignOn.org that is getting a lot of attention and may be of interest to people in your area. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Dear Seattle MoveOn member,

Dixie Mitchell, a 71-year-old cancer survivor, and her husband, Luster, have owned their Seattle home for 44 years. This is the same home where the Mitchells raised their nine biological children and cared for fifty foster children, and the house was paid off in full in the mid-1980s.

When Dixie needed some money to make home repairs and to help one of the foster children in her care, her bank advised her to refinance her home. Under the direction of the bank, she took out a loan that they promised would work for what she needed.

But then the loan was bundled and resold. Soon after, Luster, suffered a massive stroke that has left him paralyzed and unable to work. Because of the bank’s changes to the loan, Dixie quickly fell behind on her payments. Without her husband’s earnings, her monthly income is just $2,200 in Social Security and her monthly mortgage is $2,052.

Now, despite Dixie’s best efforts, the Mitchells’ home is set to be auctioned on October 28, and they have no place to go.All Dixie needs is a small modification to the loan and she’ll be able to keep her house. The problem is that Ocwen Financial,which holds the loan, just won’t budge. Not because they can’t, but because they don’t want to.

That’s why I created a petition to Ronald Faris, President of Ocwen Financial, on SignOn.org, which says:

Tell the Big Banks, enough is enough! Ocwen Financial will soon be the country’s largest holder of subprime loans. Ocwenis even a participant in a federal program to help modify loans for families affected by the housing crisis—but theystill aren’t responding.

The Mitchells are one of the thousands of families who have already lost their home or are at risk of foreclosure. The Big Banks have drained wealth from hard-working Americans like the Mitchells, and continue to dodge taxes while making record profits.

Demand that Ocwen Financial give the Mitchells the simple loan modification they need in order to keep their home.

Will you sign the petition? Click here to add your name, and then pass it along to your friends:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=265429&id=32075-17809870-SllSr5x&t=2

Thanks!

–Ian Pajer-Rogers

The text above was written by Ian Pajer-Rogers, not by MoveOn staff, and MoveOn is not responsible for the content. Thisemail was sent through MoveOn’s secure system, and your information has been kept private.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Why do Republicans hate Social Security? …Senator bernie sanders

09/23/2011 Nativegrl77

Republicans hate Social Security because it has been an extraordinary success and has done exactly what it was designed to do. It is the most successful government program in our nation’s history and is enormously popular.

When Social Security was developed, 50 percent of seniors lived in poverty. Today, that number is 10 percent — still too high, but a testament to the success of Social Security.

Republicans have spent years demonizing Social Security and spreading lies about its sustainability. They want to scare Americans and build support for making drastic cuts to the program or privatizing it entirely. Their long-term goal is to end Social Security as we know it, and convert it into a private account system which will enable Wall Street to make hundreds of billions in profits.

The truth is that, today, according to the Social Security Administration, Social Security has a $2.7 trillion surplus and can pay out every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 25 years.

Further, because it is funded by the payroll tax and not the U.S. Treasury, Social Security has not contributed one nickel to our deficit.

Now — in a prolonged recession that has decimated the poor and middle class and pushed more Americans into poverty than at any point in modern history — we need to strengthen Social Security. That’s why I, along with nine co-sponsors, have introduced the “Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.” This legislation would lift the Social Security Payroll tax cap on all income over $250,000 a year, would require millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share into the Social Security Trust Fund, and would extend the program for the next 75 years.

Join me now as a citizen co-sponsor of the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.

For 76 years, through good times and bad, Social Security has paid out every benefit owed to every eligible American. The most effective way to strengthen Social Security for the next 76 years is to scrap the payroll tax cap for those earning $250,000 a year or more.

Right now, someone who earns $106,800 pays the same amount of money into Social Security as billionaires like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. That is because today, all income above $106,800 is exempt from the Social Security tax. As a result, 94% of Americans pay Social Security tax on all of their income, but the wealthiest 6% do not.

That makes no sense.

The “Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act” will ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security without cutting benefits, raising the retirement age or raising taxes on the middle class.

Join me and Democracy for America in fighting to strengthen Social Security — Sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act.

Social Security is keeping tens of millions of seniors out of poverty today. I can think of no more important issue facing our country today than making sure that Social Security remains strong for generations to come.

Thank you.

-Bernie

Senator Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator from Vermont

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Republicans say NO NO NO

09/22/2011 Nativegrl77

Let me sum up this week for you:

President Obama: JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.
The Republican Party: NO, NO, NO.

President Obama presented his plan. The only plan Republicans have put forward is to say no to President Obama and yes to big corporations calling the shots, undermining the social safety net we pay for with our taxes, and, if you get sick: you’re on your own. In short: their plan is an assault on our values.

Their vision is dangerous – and we’re in danger of it becoming reality if Republicans flip just FOUR Senate seats in 2012. We can’t let that happen.

That’s why the DSCC needs your help to raise $585,000 before Sept. 30 so we can make sure Democrats don’t lose races that we can win. We literally can’t afford to fall short.

Please give $5, $10 or whatever you can give to the DSCC right now. The DSCC has only 10 days to raise $585,000 and fight the GOP’s assault on our values.

Rick Perry calls Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” and Mitt Romney compares it to a criminal enterprise. And now one GOP Congressman is complaining that President Obama’s plan would force him to live on just $400,000 a year. Once again the GOP just doesn’t understand the challenges Americans are facing today.

2012 will decide whether we focus on creating jobs, like Democrats want, or protecting millionaires and big corporations, like Republicans demand. We can win. But we need your help.

Please give $5, $10 or whatever you can give to the DSCC right now. The DSCC has only 10 days to raise $585,000 and fight the GOP’s assault on our values.

There are many reasons we’re Democrats. But perhaps one of the most important is this: We know that a strong middle class makes our country stronger. Thanks for joining me to fight for what we believe in.

Sincerely,

Karen Finney