Happy day to all kossacks of good will, thank you for stopping by!
Recently on DK , our fearless leader kos wrote in reaction to the first debate:
You see, Republicans want to destroy Social Security, and Democrats want to ... destroy it a little less? God, I hope not. But that's the Obama people got last week.
Almost daily one can find others writing that signs are strong
that the President and Dem leaders plan to cut Social Security benefits through 'tweaks' and adjustments, using the 'fiscal cliff' 'Grand Bargain' and other failed arguments of the 'defict hawks'.
Who, really, is behind this push for 'reform', 'tweaks,' 'change' anyway ?
Is Granny all itching to go back to work so bondholders and the 1% can have an easier life?
As I posted last time, is there an upsurge of 99%er seniors who liked the COLA freeze and want more 'tweaks' ? Nah.
Who then ?
The Raiders of Your Lost Retirement
The Debater in Chief :)
Does any country on earth have leaders with as wonderful smiles as ours? Now I generally am opposed to US exceptionalism, but it did my heart good to see Smiling Joe Biden put that heart of his to work in the debates.
Vice President Biden's fabulous performance at the debate this week made clear that Dem leadership will not privatize nor allow the Republicans to privatize Social Security. However, he did not go as far as he did in August to say there will be no changes, and he did not call out the moderator for repeating the rw talking point lumping Social Securityin with Medicare and saying both are going broke.
Salon
Biden offered a much stronger contrast on Social Security than Obama did, but he still left some questions unresolved. He stated clearly and firmly that the Obama administration would not privatize Social Security, which is the least we can expect from a Democrat given that the public version is one of his party’s greatest legislative achievements. He also argued that “to cut the benefits for people without taking other action you could do to make it work is absolutely the wrong way,” which is more reassuring but still leaves the administration some wiggle room to accept cuts as part of a Grand Bargain™. It’s certainly a weaker promise than the one he made in August, when he told supporters, “I guarantee you, flat guarantee you, there will be no changes in Social Security” if President Obama is reelected. Thanks, Mr. Vice President, but is there any chance we can get that in writing?
My head hurts when I hear shills like Ryan spewing that kind of made up crap about Social Security.
I get angry and find myself wanting to know how to answer those who make these same lame arguments.
So I was really happy to find these tips:
Institute for America's Future Smart Talk
NUMBER 4 | October 10, 2012
Protect Social Security – We Are ALL Going To Need It
The Challenge
Most baby boomers will “retire” with no pension and very little in savings. Gen Xers and millennials will have even less, given the bad economy and long-term jobs shortage. Even more than seniors, today’s workers, especially women and people of color, will really need Social Security. And yet a multimillion-dollar campaign is being waged to get the president and Congress to cut Social Security benefits for everyone, with the worst cuts aimed at those under the age of 55. The people waging this campaign are the authors of the “Bowles-Simpson” deficit reduction plan – backed up by big money coming from billionaire private equity fund manager Peter G. Peterson and other Wall Street and corporate millionaires. Even though unemployment is the number one issue on the minds of most Americans, these elite activists say we must cut Social Security in order to reduce the federal deficit.
Make the Case
Social Security is a critical system that serves us all, like the military or the Interstate Highway System. It is the foundation of American retirement security – more so today, now that pensions are disappearing and private savings, inherently risky, have been hit hard. It is basic protection for our families if we become disabled or die.
Each generation has done its part to maintain its foundations over the 77 years of its existence. During good times and bad, working Americans have paid into Social Security, and it is by far the safest, most efficient, most universal, and most reliable way for Americans to guarantee their retirement savings.
The case against the so-called “deficit hawks” is easy: Social Security doesn’t contribute one penny to the federal deficit. In fact, the program is legally forbidden from increasing the deficit. As we all know, the benefits our parents and grandparents receive each month are covered by the payroll taxes (or FICA, for Federal Insurance Contributions Act) they paid when they were working – and we pay today. This is Social Security’s dedicated stream of income. Moreover, people working today are paying extra in Social Security taxes to cover the benefits of baby-boom retirees.
Case in Point
Black diamond (cards) If the U.S. economy grows at a healthy rate, Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of retirement benefits far into the future. Based on a scenario of slow economic growth and reduced immigration, those who want to cut Social Security benefits point to a possible imbalance between Social Security payouts and income that MIGHT affect the program around 20 years from now. The cutters use scary phrases like “Social Security will go bankrupt,” when, even under the worse-case scenario, the system would still be able to pay retirees 75% of their current benefits forever. That’s not exactly a crisis – it’s a possible shortfall that might not ever happen if we have a healthy economy.
SNIP
Tweet this! Facebook it! Letters to the Editor! Call Congress!
Don't let them make us work until we die!!!
Great points
And there lots more for you when you go read the whole post.
Its GOTV time!
Its also time to support the President and Congress to Protect Social Security from cuts and changing it from the flagship Democratic Party program that has worked for 77 years to keep the elderly from starving and living on the streets.
For more ideas follow these links:
Strengthen Social Security .
Smart Talk -- How to win the argument about the big economic challenges facing the American people
Thanks for all you do.
Namaste.