Unions press Dems to stand firm on Social Security, Medicare

[cal04]

Source: The Hill

Labor unions are revving up their political machine in response to entitlement benefit cuts under consideration in plans to lift the debt ceiling.

A number of major unions sent emails Friday to hundreds of thousands of their members, urging them to contact lawmakers to oppose slashing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

The effort came amid new signs that the White House might strike a deal with Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling and reduce deficits. Talks later broke down Friday evening, and it now seems a bigger package of spending cuts and tax increases is off the negotiating table.

(snip)
“These plans are unacceptable. They will make inequality in America worse — and turn us into more of a Third World has-been,” reads an AFL-CIO e-mail sent to activists Friday. “Tell your senators and the White House: No deal that cuts our safety net and kills our jobs while making the rich richer.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/173119-unions-press-dems-to-stand-firm-on-social-security-medicare

---

just tweeted from ThinkProgress
Debt ceiling meeting at White House ended at 11:58. Lasted less than an hour.
http://twitter.com/#!/thinkprogress

roll call confirms
White House Debt Talks Last Less Than an Hour
http://www.rollcall.com/news/White-House-Debt-Talks-Last-Less-Than-an-Hour-207607-1.html

[No Elephants]

1. Great, EXCEPT Social Security is insurance, bought and paid for, not simply a safety net, like

welfare. Not that I am dissing programs that are purely social safety nets, but I think the issues involved with OASDI are different.

I wish the AFL-CIO email had been stronger and clearer on that point, but I am thrilled to see unions involved in this battle.

[Synicus Maximus]

12. Actually it's not insurance. That was established in Helvering v. Davis (1937).

The Supreme Court said that SS payments were a tax and "Congress may spend money in aid of the "general welfare." ".

[defendandprotect]

14. Social Security is an insurance program -- it extends beyond the employee to protect

their families, survivors -- and it extends not only to retirement benefits but to

loss of health -- disability.

Don't know about the SC decision, Congress does NOT pay for Social Security --

and government collects an adminsitrative fee for running the program -- 3%, I think.

[theFrankFactor]

36. Nice try! LOL!

What horse shit.

[defendandprotect]

41. OASDI program -- Old Age, Survivors, Disability INSURANCE Program ...

Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. The original Social Security Act (1935) and the current version...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States) - Cached.


In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.<1> The original Social Security Act<2> (1935) and the current version of the Act, as amended<3> encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs. The larger and better known programs are:

- Federal Old-Age (Retirement), Survivors, and Disability Insurance
- Unemployment benefits
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled (Medicare)
- Grants to States for Medical Assistance Programs (Medicaid)
- State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Social Security is a social insurance program that is funded through dedicated payroll taxes called Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax (FICA). Tax deposits are formally entrusted to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, or the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

When initially signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 as part of his New Deal, the term Social Security

covered unemployment insurance as well.

Social Security is currently the largest social insurance program in the U.S. where combined spending for all social insurance programs constitutes 37% of government expenditure and 7% of the gross domestic product.


NOTICE THAT WE HAVE ALSO GOTTEN AWAY FROM CALLING 'UNEMPLOYMENT' WHAT IT IS ...

UNEMPLOYMENT I N S U R A N C E -- !!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_%28United_States%29

[Zorra]

48. LOL!

:nuke:

End. Of. Debate.

[JDPriestly]

21. FICA stands for Federal Insurance Compensation Act.

It is an insurance program. The Supreme Court has been wrong many times.

[TBF]

26. And you determine "general welfare" to be leaving seniors out on the street to die?

Only you, the DLC, the republicans, and the current supreme court. Just disgusting.

[freshwest]

2. Well, we've got the GOP claiming they will save it all now.

:sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

15. In seeking an economic collapse for the nation, GOP is treasonous -- !!

[Proletariatprincess]

3. It won't help....

Congress doesn't care what the people want or think. They will do what their corporate masters dictate.
It will take more than letters and lobbying to loosen the corporate grip on our government. The big demonstration and occupation of Washington DC on October 6, 2011 is a good start. Labor should be there in force.

[iwishiwas]

5. we had huge demonstrations, week after week in WI and still they

did not listen. The Gov said-I have nothing to negotiate. So it was to be.

[defendandprotect]

16. Ignoring the Will of the People is fascism -- treason --

[socialist_n_TN]

29. Yep. Wisconsin was a missed opportunity.......

A general strike was talked about and should have been called. It would have spread too, maybe not to the country in general, but definitely the upper midwest. But you lose when you put ALL of your eggs in the reform/electoral basket. They OWN all the reformist institutions and they DO NOT have any sympathy for the working class.

[Yon_Yonson]

30. I'm ready for a general strike where do I sign up?

SHUTE EH DOWN ... hit them in their greedy pocketbooks and make them bleed greenback

[Overseas]

4. K&R. Yes Please!

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Liberalynn]

7. It's worth a try. Good for them.

[earcandle]

8. Social security is the people retirement fund, paid for by their payroll taxes. This is fraud.

[Yon_Yonson]

32. How's about the world's biggest class action law suit

The People of Social Security Versus The US Government

[defendandprotect]

42. Agree -- we need someone like Erin Brockovitch -- been saying that for a long time now!!

Fascism is fraud --

[defendandprotect]

9. Unions were 39% and now 7% while the Dem Party protected them?

And they're now asking for more protection from the party?

ROFL -- if it weren't so sad!!

[julian09]

11. actually they want to protect you

as the membership decreases, so have wages. Even at 7% percent union membership jobs are still going offshore. Can't blame unions for that anymore.

[defendandprotect]

13. ... I was addressing the "protection" offered by Dem Party ... under Koch Bros/DLC influence ...

do unions really want more of that protection?

Has it been effective?


The union concept of protecting workers is real -- but not reality --

Unions for decades have been infiltrated in various ways to harm them --

from MAFIA infiltration to deceptive negotiation demands --

And women's groups have been infiltrated in the similar ways -

especially re leadership --

Similar attempts have been made over decades to infiltrate the NAACP --

destroy its leadership and resources --

Same with ACLU --

There are no liberal groups which haven't been co-opted and/or infiltrated

to limit their ability to fight back --

[Proletariatprincess]

52. Agree. Infiltration is a huge issue...

but mostly ignored. The infiltrators have endless resources too. They think they can actually hire half the working class to destroy the other half....and they almost have. Our own government infiltrates for nefarious reasons too...especially under Republican administrations.
It rarely, if ever, happens to right wing groups. At least not for the long term or for the purpose of undermining or destroying the group entirely. At least that is my perception. I have never belonged to right wing group but I have seen the damage done at local labor unions.

[Enrique]

10. emo unions

;-)

[Divine Discontent]

17. LOL. agreed. what a childish schoolyard taunt.

[defendandprotect]

18. Btw, has anyone heard of a women's group lately ... not issues like this for them to respond to?

[Lifelong Protester]

25. Yes, NOW has been involved, and the National Committee

to Protect SS and MC (NCPSSM) defines this as a women's issue.

[defendandprotect]

40. I don't catch anything of it -- is it being reported anywhere -- ???

And never see anything on them here -- probably also my fault!!

But women's groups have been supporting the Dem Party all the way to the right!!

And, imo, they've been just as betrayed as every other liberal group!!

Thanks for the info!!

[defendandprotect]

19. Btw, has anyone heard of a women's group lately ... not issues like this for them to respond to?

[JDPriestly]

20. Yes. That's a great idea.

We have to show unity at this time.

[polichick]

22. Too bad most Dem leaders don't give a shit about unions.

[sulphurdunn]

23. Why does government run deficits?

Why does it borrow money to finance debt? Why not have the Treasury print enough money to balance annual deficits? Would it cause inflation? Well, we already have plenty of inflation in the prices of food, energy and health care. Maybe we should end non-vendor speculation in those things and let inflation roll in the rest of the economy to get us all the hell out from under the boot heel of the banks.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

24. It is political suicide to even consider reducing Social Security, Obama is perilously close to...

becoming unelectable. The biggest break Obama may have received was when Boners walked away, it may have saved his presidency and provided a platform for re-election. I personally think he was about to give the ranch away through a huge political and fiscal miscalculation.

[snappyturtle]

27. THANK YOU! That's exactly what I thought happened too. The President was 'lucky'. nt

[defendandprotect]

44. See Madfloridian's "Hamiltonian" thread for further unveiling of Obama ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1540315&mesg_id=1540315


And especially note Mad's Post #54 -- !!

:hi:

[snappyturtle]

55. Thank you! I'll take notes! nt

[Yon_Yonson]

31. I am not voting for him again ... Obama's is done for as far as I am concerned

[defendandprotect]

45. Well, we are a huge liberal voting bloc -- stick together -- work together --

And you might be interested in this further unveiling of who exactly Obama is

in Madlforidian's OP "Hamiltonian" --

Especially see Mad's Post #54 --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1540315&mesg_id=1540315



:hi:

[Yon_Yonson]

51. Great read and thanks for sharing that

One of the things that have always sat wrong with me was when Obama called ‘Lieberman a great mentor’ and my mouth was full of coffee when I heard that. Messy ... a real mess!
Is Lieberman connected in this Hamiltonian Cult?

The old saying ‘I think .... therefore I am’ in response to #54

[Proletariatprincess]

53. I couldn't vote for him the first time...

and I wanted to. If I have to choose between two candidates who are equally qualified, I will choose the the woman or the person of color. But I never liked Obama.
I have good political instincts that have never yet proven wrong, and I never trusted Obama. I never believed that he was progressive...in fact I always thought that he is Center Right and no friend to my favorite causes. I voted Nadar and Kuchinich when they are on my Ballot.
But the bedrock fact is that I do not believe our votes are counted anyway. The Supreme Court and the Diebold Company have convinced me of that and the day to day disregard by congress and the executive branch to the will of the American people is further proof.

George Carlin was right. They own us. We have no say in any of it. Elections are just the entertainment for the masses.

I always have and I always will VOTE. Especially in local elections. But on the national level, I have no illusions about fairness. Our corporate masters have decided that voting is just too important to be trusted to the will of the peasants.
And based on that belief, I become infuriated when anyone tells me my third party vote is wasted.
Just the opposit is true. The campaign diolog, which is the only real value of the election, is changed in a positive way when our interests are heard.... even when they are depicted as marginal minority views by the corporate media.

There is wisdom in the often repeated quote that it is better to vote for the one you want and lose than to vote for the one you don't want and win.
The only wasted vote is the one not cast.

[Yon_Yonson]

54. Sounds like truth to me and thanks for sharing that

I have always given into the 'wasted vote' analogy but no more! If my choice does not appear on the ballet I shall do a write in.

[defendandprotect]

43. From what Obama is saying in Madfloridian's "Hamiltonian" thread ....

he's given a lot of thought to this class warfare --

and what the reaction of those "losers" might be --




THIS will get you to the thread -- but you should especially see Madfloridian's

further ocmments a few posts down -- #54 -- !!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1540315&mesg_id=1560915

[Fearless]

28. All the power to them.

[Jim_Shorts]

33. Riddle me this ?

If you give the government $ for a treasury bond, you are entitled to get paid back with interest.

If you give the government $ in contributions to the SS trust fund, your "hoped for" payback is an "entitlement"

??

[theFrankFactor]

37. Excellent analogy!

[defendandprotect]

46. +1000% -- Keep on tellin' it -- !!!

Nice post --

You might also be interested in Madfloridian's further unveiling of Obama

in the "Hamiltonian" OP --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1540315&mesg_id=1540315

Especially note Mad's further comments in post #54 --



:hi:

[RoccoR5955]

34. Dems in Congress/Senate already know this... Perhaps...

...they should be talking to the Commander-In-Chief! He's the one who has proposed messing with these programs.

[unkachuck]

35. K&R...n/t

[theFrankFactor]

38. You have to "PRESS DEMS" to stand firm on Social Security? Yeah, something's seriously FUCKED UP!

[defendandprotect]

47. Certainly is ... !!

You might be interested in this further unveiling of Obama in

Madfloridian's "Hamiltonian" thread -- here ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1540315&mesg_id=1540315

Especially look at Mad's further comments in post #54 --

[BRLIB]

39. Just sent this to my Senator Vitter, to support a Clean Bill

So that you can understand, David................

Let's say you go to a place that can handle any of your fetishes.
You get your diaper changed, get a woody, maybe have a discharge into your diaper. Then it's over.
You say put it on your Visa.

Well, not long after that Visa says you owe them.
This is what the debt is about. Paying your bills, David.

Are you going to say, I spent a lot and am always getting into more debt cause I need my diaper changed every week, so therefore I WILL NOT PAY MY VISA?

David, that is not right!

You pay your VISA, then you look into why you need your diaper changed so often...maybe you need a second job to pay for it.. more income. But you don't refuse to pay your bill!

The is what a CLEAN BILL is all about, David. Pay it, with no conditions. It is due. Then address the spending and the income.

Support a CLEAN BILL David.

Isn't that why you need your diaper changed, anyway?

Cleanliness?


BTW You probably have no debt limit on your credit card, right David? Gold to to MAX.
US as number one is used to be being GOLD. Keep it that way, David.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[craigmatic]

50. I don't think the unions hold that much sway with the party bosses