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Jul 11, 2011

Petition against Social Safety Net Cuts - NOW!

Dueling News Conferences! This alert just came in--we must take action Now for our 'Democratic' president may have left the building. And he won't be returning if he pulls this over on the American people! The economy will tank without 'entitlement' monies being sent directly into the US economy by consumers who will actually spend it in America. Well, at least John Boehner figured out that it 'takes two to tango' so I suppose that represents some progress.

You know, it's beginning to feel around here as if Mr. Obama is #1 on Grover Norquist's speed dial. Maybe we can get Murdoch's tech guys at the WSJ to hack in and see, hmmm?



BREAKING: Today, in a press conference, President Obama came right out and said it: He's pushing for benefit cuts in important programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Will you join 160,000 others who signed this urgent pledge, which we'll deliver to the Obama campaign?

"President Obama: If you cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits for me, my family, or families like mine, don't ask for a penny of my money or an hour of my time in 2012. I'm going to focus on electing bold progressive candidates who will fight to protect our Democratic legacy."

Click to add your name.

For those of us who worked tirelessly to elect Obama in 2008, here are the 3 most depressing quotes from today's press conference:

1) "We’re going to have a sales job. This is not pleasant. It is hard to persuade people to do hard stuff that entails trimming benefits and increasing revenues."

Significance: This is the first time Obama admitted he is pushing "benefit" cuts that would hurt our grandparents, kids, and the disabled -- not just "savings" like negotiating lower drug prices.

2) "I want to be crystal clear -- nobody has talked about increasing taxes now. Nobody has talked about increases -- increasing taxes next year."

Significance: Polling shows that by 4 to 1, Americans want taxes increased on the rich. The "millionaires tax" proposed by House progressives would raise $1 trillion -- helping to take benefit cuts off the table. By his own admission, Obama is not even asking for this!

3) "The vast majority of Democrats on Capitol Hill would prefer not to have to do anything on entitlements; would prefer, frankly, not to have to do anything on some of these debt and deficit problems."

Significance: The House Progressive Caucus proposed balancing the budget by taxing the rich, making companies like GE pay taxes, ending the wars, and other popular, progressive proposals. By his own admission, Obama didn't even try for these -- and then he attacks progressive Democrats with false, right-wing talking points.

Please join 160,000 others who have signed the pledge not to donate to or volunteer for Obama in 2012 if he cuts benefits.

5 comments:

Carol said...

Signed. Thanks. It's high time progressives of all stripes joined together. Perhaps Van Jones is the gatherer, I don't know. But Mr. Obama keeps throwing the natural Democratic constituency under the bus...then has his people call for donations. Already had one call. I told the guy these are tough times and that didn't stop him. So I hung up.

Carol said...

Oops, forgot. Are you following Rupert's difficulties in the UK? BSkyB is looking pretty iffy. And it appears his empire was doing similar things to 9/11 victims families in Sept, 2001. Wonder if any of that hits the airwaves in the US MSM.....

Jude Cowell said...

So glad you signed, Carol! Getting calls/letters here but am not donating any $ to politicians these days, w no plans to in the foreseeable future, whether it's "won" or not.

Actually I have heard about the Murdoch/9/11 victim hacking in MSM but I depend daily upon Thom Hartmann & Amy Goodman to give me a non-corporate picture. Thnx, jc

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. I signed a few days ago and I am thrilled to see participation growing. That said, signing petitions is not good enough we need to be calling the White House and Congressional reps EVERY DAY to remind them that we will not tolerate further decimation of our social safety net. We should also remind them that Social Security is NOT an "entitlement" but a program that we all pay into. I am sick and tired of watching the GOP define the talking points and language.
Cheers
-A

Jude Cowell said...

Agreed! Signing petitions is good but definitely not good enough. And as Thom Hartmann says at the end of his broadcasts, 'Democracy begins when You show up - tag, you're it!

And yes, i've posted before my belief which you share that SS is not an 'entitlement' program.

As one of the self-employed, I've paid 100% of it for decades - and Trusted the US gov to act accordingly & uprightly about it and now This shell game?

This is theft, rather pure and deceptively simple!

Thnx for your comment, jc