More petitions against the not-so-grand bargain

[eridani]

Roots Action petition against Grand "Bargain"

http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6858

At President Obama's first post-election press conference he stressed his eagerness to work with Republicans.

Without being asked about Medicare or Social Security, he urged "deficit reduction that includes entitlement changes."

Reporters didn't ask about the option of cutting military spending, and the President never brought it up.

Does this sound like ingredients of a Grand Bargain you'd like to see?

Tell the President and Congress to expand Medicare and Social Security, to invest in green energy, to raise taxes on the rich and corporations, and to cut military spending back to the level of 12 years ago

Will Democrats in the House and Senate stand firm in opposition to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefit cuts, or cave to the President's "Grand Bargain" strategy of trading cuts for tax increases on the wealthy? Raising taxes on the rich is essential to growing our economy, but we cannot throw the poor, elderly and disabled to the wolves to do so.

Unfortunately, Democratic party leaders like Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin are following the President's lead, proposing a separate commission just to cut Social Security to entice GOP negotiators.1 Critical resistance is taking root in response as Chicago activists have planned a "Durbinville" shanty town to symbolize the depression-era conditions millions of Americans will face as a result.2

Take the pledge:
"I pledge to withhold support for any politician who participates in cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid."
http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/pledge

[eridani]

1. Informational kick n/t

[eridani]

2. Three more petitions

Tom Harkin petition
http://www.democratsenators.org/o/42/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=679&track=ema_20121206fiscalcliffbklaunchbk34914&tag=ema_20121206fiscalcliffbklaunchbk34914&utm_source=ema_20121206fiscalcliffbklaunchbk34914&utm_medium=ema_&utm_campaign=fiscalcliff

Tell President Obama: Don’t buckle!

Use the form on this page to sign Senator Harkin’s petition to President Obama urging him to stand strong and protect the middle class in the fiscal "cliff" negotiations. If we all stand together, we can strengthen President Obama’s hand without tying his hands.

Sheldon Whitehouse to Obama: No Need to Cut Medicare
http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-to-obama-no-need-to-cut-medicare

“A clear and specific presidential target will focus federal efforts in an accountable manner, that calls to ‘bend the health care cost curve’ will not,” Whitehouse wrote. “With so many voices in Washington now calling for cuts to Medicare and Medicaid as part of a deal on the so-called ‘fiscal cliff,’ cost savings through delivery system reforms are key to preserving and strengthening these programs without hurting the middle class.”

The letter notes that a variety of studies have estimated that it is possible to save anywhere from $700 billion to $1 trillion per year in our health care system, without affecting the quality of care. Since the federal government is responsible for 40 percent of our total health care spending through expenses in Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs, pursuing these savings could reduce our deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade even if we only achieve a portion of what is possible – strengthening Medicare’s fiscal solvency without cutting benefits.

Consumer Reports
https://secure.consumersunion.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2717&JServSessionIdr004=so7iwfpjn3.app245a
You are probably hearing a lot out of Washington D.C. about tough choices that have to be made by the end of the year. Choices that will affect your family for decades to come.

You may wind up being told your health care benefits could shrink or that you have to pay more for college. Or that you can do with less pollution control or medical research. You may be told to rely on fewer safety inspectors or air traffic controllers. Or that your retirement security could be at risk.

The reality is, these are your tax dollars. How your money is spent – and what exactly it’s spent on – should be your priorities, not corporate lobbyists and faceless conglomerates.

Tell your lawmakers to use common sense when dealing with our fragile economy and reducing our debt. Drastic, across-the-board cuts in the things that keep your family safe and secure do little to dramatically reduce the deficit, but they do hurt real people.

Send your message now. Use our words or include your own priorities in the box below, and we’ll deliver it directly to the President, your Senators and your Representative based on your address.