13 September 2010

House Progressive Caucus Joins Fight To Save Social Security

Democrats, led by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, are finding the courage to face down the White House's fiscal commission with a resounding NO! to Social Security cuts.

Leaks from the commission indicate that even some of its Democrats would support measures to extend the retirement age to 70, eliminate cost-of-living increases, employ some form of "means testing" in order to deny earned benefits to retirees of a certain income level, and to revisit "privatization".  Earlier, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll returned numbers showing that a overwhelming majority (68%) of Americans are "uncomfortable" with candidates supporting such radical views.

Talking Points Memo Blog, reports that if the commission recommends cuts or other changes to Social Security, the caucus will say, "You will lose our support".  Also, Democrats are preparing a letter to be sent to President Obama declaring that Democrats will pledge to vote against any legislation coming from the commission unless Social Security is taken off the table.  The letter will include words stating firm opposition to any attempts at "privatization", cuts, or efforts to diminish Social Security in any way.

Earlier we reported on a sense of Congress letter initiated by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ).  Now that the Congressional Progressive Caucus has signed on and is taking a leadership role in opposing the commission indicates that opposition to this latest outrageous assault on Social Security by Republicans and some lick-spit Blue Dog Democrats is growing and gaining traction in efforts supported by many grassroots groups, including the Alliance for Retired Americans, to tie the hands of the commissions on its suspected ploy of undermining Social Security in the name of deficit reduction.

It is expected that the letter will be sent to the president once members of congress have returned later this month and the number of signers has climbed.

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