Folks:
I learn from the AFL-CIO that one of the big front groups lobbying for Social Security privatisation, the "Alliance for Worker Retirement Security," is heavily supported by my own bank, Wachovia of NC. The info is here. You can click through the AFL-CIO's action alert and send a message straight through to the CIO of Wachovia protesting this, or you can go through the Wachovia site's web page and email them yourself.
I assume that this is normally used for customer problems, but presumably if they get a flood of complaints about AWRS, the information will be passed upstairs. So how about it? Everyone flash them a quick email,
especially if your are a Wachovia customer or might consider becoming one absent this crap. Here is my letter (with redactions):
Dear Wachovia:
I have just learned that Wachovia is a member and major supporter of the "Alliance for Worker Retirement Security," which is a lobbying group pushing for the privatization of Social Security. I am frankly shocked. My family are regular Wachovia customers, with two bank accounts and a mortgage. We are planning a major house extension, and have been expecting to take out a $xxxxxx home equity line for it from Wachovia. We have received excellent service from the bank and have been happy to be customers. But now I feel betrayed. The drive to privatize Social Security is a scam to destroy the most successful government program in the history of this country. The private accounts being pushed by the White House and by front groups like AWRS are going to transform it from an effective form of social insurance that protects all retirees against poverty in the event of bad luck and personal crisis, to a government-mandated stock-market scheme that will allow those who hit bad luck to flounder and die in poverty. In addition, it will require trillions of dollars of new government borrowing. The system is really not in crisis, as anyone really paying attention to the debates knows. Minor adjustments will keep it solvent for good.
I am angry at our politicians for trying foist this sham on us, and now I am very upset that our own bank is complicit.
I can't imagine supporting an organization that is pushing to do something so harmful to our country, and to the common people. If you continue to support this group, I'm afraid I'm going to have to find another bank -- much as I hate to say it. And I will tell all of my friends, many of them Wachovia customers, ALL of whom love Social Security.
And please drop by the AFL-CIO site to support their campaign.
Thanks!