The Catfood Commission’s final report is coming out tomorrow. Barring something unexpected, the report will support cutting Social Security benefits, and also support raising the retirement age.
To pre-empt the commission’s call for cutting Social Security, you need to join with tens of thousands of others by calling your Senators and voicing your opposition any such cuts. The number is 1-866-529-7630.
When you call 1-866-529-7630, you will hear an automated voice. The voice will give you some quick suggestions on what to say during your call, and then redirect you to the office of one of your United States Senators.
Now, I know you might have some questions about this, so here goes:
Why will my call make a difference?
- Congressional offices count all of the calls they receive in support and opposition to every issue. When a member of the House or Senate is undecided on a vote, the number of calls they receive in support or opposition can sometimes make a difference.
- Because of the massive corporate lobbying complex, Republicans call their members of Congress 10 to 20 times more often than Democrats, depending on the issue. We almost always lose the call-in war. This has cost us a number votes on key pieces of legislation.
- Today, a long list of strong, progressive organizations are joining together to ask their members to call Senate offices. By acting in coordination, we can break the Republican stranglehold on the call-in game.
Why are we calling the Senate?
The Catfood commission’s authority ends this year. The House of Representatives, still led by Nancy Pelosi, will not vote on the proposals from the Catfood Commission unless those proposals have already been passed by the Senate. So, if the Senate doesn’t pass the proposals before the end of the year, the Catfood Commission is defeated.
How can I make an effective call?
Simple:
- Introduce yourself by name and the city where you live.
- Say you are calling to voice your opinion on Social Security
- Read a short, pre-written statement that you wrote about Social Security.
Here are some examples of short, pre-written statements:
- Social Security is funded 100% through 2037. There isn’t a single business in our state that is funded through 2037, and we aren’t declaring those to be insolvent.
- Social Security doesn’t add one dime to the deficit, and never has. It’s funded 100% through 2037, through a separate tax that goes to a separate trust fund. To say it’s adding to the deficit is simply untrue.
- Social Security is funded 100% through 2037. Any problems it has after 2037 can be fixed by ending the high-income cap. That’s a popular solution, too.
Basically, stay on point, stay short, be polite, and be original. That’s the best chance you have of breaking through the white noise.
What’s that number again?
The number is 1-866-529-7630. Please, take a minute or two out of your day to call one of your Senators now.