Here's a new story from TPMDC about how Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was left in the dark about the WH's proposed support for cuts to Social Security benefits in the Washington Post, and that House Democrats are hopping mad about Social Security and Medicare being put on the chopping block:
Multiple senior House Democratic aides tell TPM that caucus members were caught off guard by news stories about President Obama's push for deeper deficit and spending reductions -- and particularly about the White House's willingness to cut Social Security as part of a grand bargain to raise the debt limit.
At a private caucus meeting Thursday morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told her members that if Obama's serious about putting Social Security on the chopping block, he'd left her in the dark about it. And after an at-times-contentious meeting about how open Dems should be to significant entitlement cuts, leaders departed to the White House to read Obama the riot act.
The President has misstepped badly in his embrace of "changing entitlement programs" such as Social Security and Medicare to get the approval of Republicans before they give him teeny tiny concessions such as closing tax loopholes with no revenue increases. If the Social Security benefit cuts do go through along with Medicare and Medicaid cuts, this will be used against President Obama ad nauseum in television commercials, flyers, online ads by the Republicans. If you truly care about the President being re-elected, then please stand up now and say NO! to cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid!
The Congressional Progressive Caucus also said that they will not support any restructuring that involves cuts to Social Security, and the AARP is weighing on this as well:
The letter the group sent to Obama leaves little to the imagination:
"First, any cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid should be taken off the table. The individuals depending on these three programs deserve well-conceived improvements, not deep, ideologically driven cuts with harmful consequences."
As a second condition, the lawmakers added, "revenue increases must be a meaningful part of any agreement."
....
AARP delivered a similar message on Thursday, issuing a statement warning that the powerful lobbying group "will not accept any cuts to Social Security as part of a deal to pay the nation’s bills."
TAKE ACTION NOW!
From joanneleon's wonderful diary below:
Phone calls now and while you are making the calls get ready. Get ready to go to your local Congressional office. Get ready to go to DC if you can. Get ready to get out on the streets.
White House: 202-456-1111
Nancy Pelosi: 202-225-0100
Harry Reid: 202-224-3542
Van Hollen: 202-225-5341
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Update (h/t to kck in comments):
White House Fax: WH FAX # 202-456-2461