Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Tell Congress: Hands off Social Security and Medicare!

Today we learn Speaker of the House John Boehner wants to cut Social Security benefits and raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67.

That is the the dumbest of dumb-ass things to do. It will stifle commerce at a time when the deficit is falling faster than at any time since World War II. 

It's also wildly unpopular.

Polls show Americans want taxes raised on rich people and no changes to Medicare. A Washington Post poll shows they want to raise taxes on people with incomes of more than $250,000 by a 60-37 margin. By the same margin, they oppose raising the Medicare eligibility age.

Small business owners would rather keep Medicare and Social Security the way they are then get a tax cut. The Washington Post explains that many small business owners -- one in eight -- are over 65, and twice as many are 55 or older. Mary Black, owner of a UPS franchise in Baton Rouge, La., told the newspaper that cutting Medicare and Medicaid could seriously harm small businesses.
During the summer of 2010, her 71-year-old husband fell ill with pneumonia and was hospitalized for more than four weeks, much of it in an intensive care unit. He recovered, but not before the medical bills soared to more than $130,000. 
“Had it not been for Medicare, my business would have gone under,” Black said. 
The only people who want to cut the Big 3 are corporate CEOs and billionaires who didn't give a rat's ass about the deficit when George W. Bush blew it up. Now the same entitled jerks who sent the U.S. into recession because of their greed and illegal behavior want to take away the benefits that people work all their lives to earn.

Tomorrow is a national call-in day to tell Congress DON'T DO IT!

Call 888-979-9806 tomorrow and tell your Representative to make no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, but to end tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent.

The middle class and working families have sacrificed for far too long. It is time for politicians who talk about “shared sacrifice” make sure the wealthy and corporations finally start paying their fair share.