Tag Archives: Social Security

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.

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Fake “bipartisanship”

11/10/2010 Nativegrl77

Stand with 100 House progressives against Social Security cuts.

BREAKING: The “bipartisan” deficit reduction commission — appointed by President Obama, and led by millionaires like right-wing former Senator Alan Simpson — just made their ideas public. And they are ridiculous.

They recommend cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age to 69.

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 27,000 others in being a “citizen signer” of Grijalva’s letter? Click here — then share with others.

There are plenty of other ways to reduce the deficit. Just today, Talking Points Memo reported on a poll we commissioned asking voters their preference:

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 exactly the opposite of what the public wants.

Help progressives in Congress send a strong, immediate message: 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

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RE: Recount Alerts: Eight Outstanding

11/10/2010 Nativegrl77

Midnight tonight marks a critical milestone in our unwavering campaign to move America forward.

That’s the deadline for sending urgently needed financial resources to the field to support eight Democrats in races that remain too close to call. The most important thing you can do right now to ensure we win these battleground races is help us raise the remaining $43,627 we need by tonight’s Voter Protection deadline.

In the early morning hours after Election Day, we sent staff and legal teams to help these members locked in battles but they need urgent resources to keep up the fight.

Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.

I know I’ve asked a lot of you already. But what happens in these eight campaigns has enormous implications for the future. Having more Democrats in Congress will not only give us a head start on returning to the Majority in 2012, but it will also affect our ability to oppose the Republicans‘ radical plans for rolling back health care reform, dismantling the Department of Education and privatizing Social Security and Medicare.

Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.

Time and time again, you have refused to have your voices silenced by the special interests. Now we must reaffirm our commitment to ensure every vote is counted fairly and accurately.

Thank you,

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

P.S. There are only hours left before tonight’s Midnight deadline to send out money to our voter protection efforts. Please stand with me to make sure Republicans don’t repeat the questionable tactics they used in Florida in 2000. We need these eight Democrats in Congress. Contribute before Midnight Tonight to our Voter Protection efforts to help keep up the fight.

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a message from Speaker Pelosi

11/04/2010 Nativegrl77

Over the last four years, the Democratic House Majority that you made possible took courageous action on behalf of America’s middle class to create jobs and save the country from the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression.

Despite the outcome of last night’s elections, please know that your grassroots support still made a difference.

There are many courageous Democrats who won close races last night because of your remarkable support.

The outcome of this election does not diminish the work we have done together for the American people. With so much at stake for our country, we must all strive to find common ground to support the middle class, create jobs, protect Social Security, reduce the deficit and move our nation forward. Today, all Democrats should hold their heads high.

Your support and dedication has made a positive difference in the lives of all Americans.

For that, I cannot thank you enough.

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

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What’s next

11/03/2010 Nativegrl77

WHAT’S NEXT?

Watch my video and get involved.

Today’s a day to be honest.

Yesterday’s election results are deeply disappointing to the millions of voters who supported working family candidates this year. Voters in this election were angry, and for good reason. They’ve felt the pain of economic collapse. And they’ve paid for it with their jobs, their homes and often their hope. Many working people knew in their gut that Washington insiders did too much to help Wall Street and the banks, and not enough to help average people.

But this election was not a mandate for an anti-worker agenda. Voters in swing congressional districts overwhelmingly reject privatizing Social Security and raising the Social Security retirement age, they oppose tax cuts for the top 2 percent who make more than $250,000 a year, they reject abolishing the Department of Education and they oppose reducing or eliminating the minimum wage.

Now that Republicans will be in control of the House of Representatives, their leaders have to step up to the plate. If they keep saying “no,” we’ll make sure voters know exactly who failed them on jobs and fixing the economy in 2012.

Click here to watch my brief video outlining our next steps.

President Obama inherited two wars and an economy teetering on the brink of a second Great Depression. He took immediate steps to avert catastrophe. Years from now, we’ll look back and see these two years as the most eventful for working families in 40 years.

But the economy is still a mess, and we have difficult work ahead. It’s up to us to force these new members of Congress to move bold initiatives to fix our economy and put America back to work—or force them to pay the price for inaction in 2012.

Watch my video, and get involved.

America’s labor movement fought tirelessly for working families until the last polls closed on the West Coast Tuesday. I’m proud that I can count on you to jump into the fight for working families all over again, starting right now. With your help, we’ll work harder than ever to build an economy that works for everyone.

In solidarity,

Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

P.S. We expect critical legislative battles to take place in the coming weeks and months, with as little as 24 hours’ notice. We’ll need to alert you right away. Once you’ve watched my video, be sure to sign up for occasional, timely text messages. Just text NOW to 225568. (Message and data rates may apply.)