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firedoglake & our membersHIP PROGRAM

WELCOME OUR SPECIAL guests

Strengthen Social Security’s Nancy Altman, Eric Kingson & Alex Lawson

Three main points:

1. We built our Social Security system and it

works well

2. Our Social Security is threatened

3. Our voices are needed

Social Security works

• We have a program that provides vital economic security to

working Americans and their families

• We have a program that Americans value

• We have a program that is in surplus now and affordable in the

future

• We have a program that never has, and by law cannot,

contribute a penny to the federal deficit

• But we have politicians and pundits say that Social Security’s

benefits must be thrown into negotiations about the deficit?

Social Security is about much more than Money

• It is about the values we hold and the kind of society we

want

• Reward for hard work

• Concern for Parents, neighbors, family

• Legacy

• Strengthens connections that bridge families, neighbors and

generations

• Dignity

Social Security’s Benefits & Costs are Modest

• Average benefits in 2011 for all beneficiaries are $13,000,

less than full time, minimum wage work

• Social Security’s benefits are low compared to other

industrialized countries

• Social Security’s benefits are declining under current law

• Social Security is extremely efficient, returning in benefits

more than 99 cents of every dollar collected.

Social Security is Affordable

NASI Social Security Brief No. 35

Social Security as a Percent of the Economy (GDP), 2010-2085

P.S. You can’t repeal population aging

THE WAR AGAINST SOCIAL SECURITY

From Alf Landon to George W. Bush From “worthless IOUs” to “worthless IOUs”

Deficit Mania distracts from real problems unemployment, wage and assets inequality, wars, Wall street/corporate domination of nation’s politics

Social Security defined as budget problem

Deficit Negotiations

History:

1994-5 Entitlement

Commission

Pete Peterson’s $1

Billion

Bowles-Simpson

Commission

2011 Debt-Ceiling

Negotiations/Hostage

Budget Control Act of 2011

Ryan/House Budget

A Perfect Storm for Lame

Duck/2013 Automatic sequestration

Expiration of Bush Tax Cuts, Payroll

Tax “Holiday,” and UI

Debt Ceiling

Growing pressure for “Grand

Bargain”

Today’s Politics of Austerity Threatens Social Security and the Middle Class

Austerity Focus Distracts attention from real problems & hides true agenda

• Jobs • Cutting taxes for the

rich• Waging two wars on

credit cards• Increasing inequality• Growing political

influence of corporations

• Rising health care costs

• Shrinking middle class

UNDERMINES MIDDLE CLASS

• Attack on Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid

• Attack on public employee unions

• Wedge strategies

Washington’s view of “Strengthening” Social Security

Cut Social Security benefits

Raise the Retirement Age (a kind of benefit cut)

Cut everyone’s Cost of Living Adjustment

Means-test Social Security

Change the benefit formula to decimate middle class benefits

Deeply cuts future benefits by stealth

Do this in the name of “protecting future generations”

Payroll tax holiday

But their confidence has been shaken and they are confused about where their leaders stand; what is the truth.

The American people are with us.

According to the Pew Research Center

(6/14/12):

•58% of Americans say it is more important

to avoid cutting Social Security and

Medicare benefits than it is to reduce the

deficit.

•All age groups agree that Social Security

benefits should not be cut even if it

eliminates one option for reducing the

deficit.

•Six-in-ten or more of Generation Xers (31-

46), Baby Boomers (47-65), and Silents (66-

83) want to avoid any future cuts in Social

Security benefit amounts.

MAINTAINING BENEFITS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Remind Senators, Reps & President that the Americans are Overwhelmingly on the Side of Social Security • Public support for Social Security is very high and opposition to

cutting the program is strong.

• All demographics – Union & Tea Party households, and

Democrats, Independents & Republicans – strongly oppose by 70

to 80 percent any benefit cuts (Lake Research Partners, 2010).

• Bipartisan majorities support scrapping the payroll tax cap

• If Democrats support Social Security cuts or fail to provide full

throated support they are likely to suffer large losses at the polls

in 2012, especially for the U.S. Senate and House.

What You Can Do:• Call and tell your Senators, Reps & the

President, don’t break your promises to the American people

• Letters, call-ins, district visits, talk-shows No cuts to COLA No cuts to Social Security Go after hospitals, insurance companies, drug companies – not beneficiaries

Join the Strengthen Social Security Campaign www.strengthensocialsecurity.org

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/stop-ftdhttp://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/biden-guarantee

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