Over 30 progressive groups say no to the Social Security commission

by: Chris Bowers

Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 05:00

This is actually the same principle behind online petitions.  Many of you have probably wondered if those petitions have any impact.  Some of them can: by getting media write-ups, by having a clever hook, by serving as a warning that more action is coming, by having particularly huge numbers, or in some other fashion.  Still, petitions tend not to be, in and of themselves, big difference makers.

However, they can function as a list of people who are likely to take other, more impactful, steps on the issue at hand.  And, as such, they serve the very important function of providing a framework for a netroots coalition.

This letter, which will be sent to all members of Congress, and all senior White House officials, serves the same function.  The signatories have begun the process of forming a coalition that can do more down the road.  Just as importantly, the members of Congress (especially the Democratic members of Congress) and administration officials who consider the coalition partners to be their allies know that a coalition is forming against this idea.  That is always the most important part of any petition or letter of this sort, at least when those petitions or letters are done with an intent of actually engaging a real fight.

The letter can be found in the extended entry.

America Does Not Need An Undemocratic "Deficit Commission"

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The following statement, signed by over 30 national organizations (see below) was written and distributed by Roger Hickey, co-director, Campaign for America's Future, and Nancy Altman and Eric Kingson, co-directors, Project to Defend and Improve Social Security.  This statement will be sent to:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
all members of the Senate and House,
and President Barack Obama (and key administration officials)

We write in strong opposition to proposals to create an entitlements or deficit-reduction commission that would override the normal legislative process and replace it with expedited procedures prohibiting amendments and limiting debate.

Those supporting this circumvention of the normal process have stated openly the desire to avoid political accountability.  Americans-seniors, women, working families, people with disabilities, young adults, children, people of color, veterans, communities of faith and others-expect their elected representatives to be responsible and accountable for shaping such significant, far-reaching legislation.

Any deficit reduction measures should be carried out in a responsible manner, providing a fairer tax system and strengthening-rather than slashing-Social Security, Medicare and other programs that are vital to the middle class." And as unemployment continues to grow, we need a real debate about how to balance the need for economic recovery and productive public investment with the goal of long-term budget responsibility. The American people are likely to view any kind of expedited procedure, where most members are sidelined to a single take-it-or-leave-it vote, as a hidden process aimed at eviscerating vital programs and productive investment.

As you know, the current effort to reform the health care sector seeks to achieve reductions in Medicare spending, without cutting benefits.  But the proposed budget commission-which will be viewed as a way to actually cut Medicare benefits, while insulating lawmakers from political fallout-could confuse people and undermine the reform effort. And an American public that only recently rejected privatization of Social Security will undoubtedly be suspicious of a process that shuts them out of all decisions regarding the future of a retirement system that's served them well in the current financial crisis.

We urge you to act decisively to prevent the creation of such an extraordinary and undemocratic budget commission.

Signed,
AFL-CIO - American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations
AFSCME - American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Alliance for Retired Americans
American Association of University Women
Americans for Democratic Action
Change to Win
Campaign for America's Future
Common Cause
Demos
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Frances Perkins Center
Global Policy Solutions
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group
Mothers Initiative
MoveOn.org Political Action
NAACP
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
National Association for Hispanic Elderly
National Association of Mother Centers
National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc.
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
National Council of Women's Organizations
National Organization for Women
National Hispanic Council on Aging
National Senior Citizens Law Center
National Women's Law Center
OWL - The Voice of Midlife and Older Women
OpenLeft.com
Pathways PA
Pension Rights Center
People for the American Way
Progressive Democrats of America
Project to Defend and Improve Social Security
SEIU - Service Employees International Union
United Methodist General Board of Church & Society
USAction
Wider Opportunities for Women
Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement
The Women's Research and Education Institute