Welcome to the second installment.
As you will recall kos wrote this last week in his post The fundamentals of the race are still in our favor :
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.
This got me thinking so began looking into the topic a bit more and sure enough, there are
numerous pundits, kossacks, and elected officials and others who believe that the President and other party leaders plan to make changes to Social Security during the lame duck session.''
Why Austerity?
One can imagine that the pressure is huge on our party leadership to compete with the tea baggers for votes and campaign cash by instituting austerity measures.
Privatization Is Not Going To Happen Under Democrats
If we win big in this elections most agree that our party will no way no how privatize Social Security like the Repugs want, everyone agrees about that. However, work is already underway toward a Grand Bargain. The pressure is huge.
Who is bringing this pressure ?
Who is pushing for 'reform', tweaks, change anyway ? Is there all of a sudden an upsurge of 99%er seniors who liked the COLA freeze and want more 'tweaks' ? Nah.
Who then ?
The Raiders of Your Lost Retirement
Time For Action Is Now
Not everyone buys this. That's cool. Will it happen? Like kos said, I hope not.
But if you are among those who believe this is possible or probable, that its serious enough threat to our Democratic Party legacy that we should not wait until after the election and that we should begin acting now, this diary is for you. Your thoughts and suggestions for action in the comments are appreciated.
Austerity Week Action Call
I followed a link in What's Happenin'? Austerity Week 10.10.12 +* and noticed that Gaius Plubius has some concrete action suggestions ;
Why I expect Obama to try to cut Social Security
SNIP
Action opportunity
Folks, this is not over. The campaign still has about a month to run. Obama can take this issue off the table any time he want to. And if he doesn’t want to do that voluntarily, you can help him. How? Ask him point-blank:
Are you planning any cuts to Social Security benefits? If so, which ones?
Or, if you want to go for more positive framing:
Mr. Obama, you’ve said you want to strengthen Social Security. The electorate is solidly behind you but they’re nervous about cuts. To reassure the public and clarify your differences with Romney-Ryan, will you promise to veto any bill that contains any cuts whatsoever to Social Security benefits, no matter what else the bill contains?
Journalists, you can ask either question any time you like — you don’t need permission. The public would love to hear the answer from the candidate’s mouth. You have column inches and access; that and boldness is all you need.
Readers, you too can ask these questions — you don’t need permission either.
Can you get into an Obama event? Then go. Bring your friends. (And your cell-phone cameras.) Help Obama not sink the Democratic Party. Help Obama re-clarify his own position. Help Obama race from waffling language like the plague — which he will certainly do if asked these questions often enough in public enough places. With cameras.
You can also urge your senator to sign Senator Sanders letter swearing not to support any cuts to Social Security as part of a deficit reduction package.The letter has 29 signatures and needs 41. This action is also urgent.
Debate moderators, you too can ask these questions — though I don’t know whether the terms of your contract with the campaign-controlled debate commission requires you to get permission or not. It’s certainly true that just like Romney, Obama must also list the program cuts he would make — including cuts to Social Security. Before the election.
This, I would think, would be the job of a good debate moderator.
I would like to see action from all three groups. But I’m especially interested in what readers and their friends can do. The Beltway Village may not do its job. but you can do yours. A small brigade of focused citizen questioners could certainly have a huge effect. You could, in fact, be the saviors of Social Security, until the next time they try.
And that’s not nothing. Guarding the progressive frontier; if you’re a progressive, that’s the job. Joe Sudbay did it by himself, and so can you. Always remember, you don’t need permission to act.
GP
Bolding and formatting added.
Please do check out the pdf letter linked above, signed by many of our favorite Democratic Party Senators.
I still like the slogan of the 2008 campaign
Together we can
By all means continue to GOTV and support your favorite candidates.
At the same time, as has been often said, we can multi-task.
Changing Social Security at a time when the batshit crazy Republican Party has power is not a good move, and such action could surely turn into an electoral disaster down the road.
Seniors need reassurance, and they are among the demographic that is most likely to vote.
Thanks for stopping by.
Namaste.
(Disclosure --I meant for this to show up late this afternoon, guess I still don't understand the dang timing mechanism on publishing diaries lol. Will be here for a short while but my wife and I are taking the Museum Hill bus and meeting a friend at the
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