[NV Greens] Fw: Republicans chant, "Social Security has got to go."

[Barb Ewing]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Tom Matzzie, MoveOn.org
To: Ms. Barbara E. Ewing
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 1:27 PM
Subject: Republicans chant, "Social Security has got to go."


      Last night, CNN reported on a group of Republican protesters who were
chanting "Hey hey, ho ho, Social Security has got to go" outside of a
Senator's town meeting. It provides us with a great opportunity to explain
what Republicans are really trying to do. Can you write a letter to the
editor of your local paper to get the word out about the Republican Social
Security scam? Check out video footage of the chants and send a letter by
clicking here:


Dear MoveOn member,

We couldn't believe our ears when we heard a group of Republicans chanting,
"Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Social Security has got to go" on CNN last night. But
that is what they did, outside Senator Rick Santorum's Social Security town
hall meeting in Philadelphia.

In the meeting, Santorum, the leading supporter of privatization in the
Senate, declared that "it is time for a Republican solution to Social
Security." But the Republicans gathered outside were more clear about where
that plan ultimately leads. For Bush's conservative base, privatization of
Social Security is just the first step toward getting rid of the program
entirely.

These chants provide a good hook to get letters to the editor printed in
your local paper, and the timing couldn't be more perfect -- Members of
Congress are home this week, and will be scanning their local editorial
pages. Can you take 5 minutes to write a letter to the editor on the
Republican social security scam? You can find your local paper, submit a
letter online, and even check out video footage of the chants at:

http://www.moveon.org/lte/lte.html?lte_campaign_id=17&zip=89119-2171&id=5123-4252974-LChMCe3rNMlHDijCTdaZUA

Here are some points you might want to mention in your letter:


  a.. The "Social Security has got to go" chants of Republicans show that
for the Republican base, privatization is just the first step towards
getting rid of Social Security. The Republican Party opposed Social Security
when it started and has opposed its expansion. One of the leaders of the
push to privatize Social Security, Grover Norquist, of the extreme-right
Americans for Tax Reform told the LA Times, "Social Security should be
reformed not because the system is going broke but because it's a lousy
program."

  b.. George Bush's plan would make massive cuts in Social Security benefits
for future retirees in order to pay for private accounts. Privatization
diverts Social Security taxes used to pay current benefits into private
accounts. Without that money, Social Security benefits will inevitably be
cut -- up to 46 percent for future retirees.

  c.. Privatization means trillions of dollars of new national debt. Because
current Social Security taxes are used to pay for private accounts taking
that money out means huge deficits -- as high as $15 trillion over the next
40 years.

  d.. The Republican plan would turn a guaranteed benefit into a guaranteed
gamble. The stock market is risky and can't be predicted -- that could mean
millions of people won't have the money they need when they need it.
It's clear that President Bush and Congressional Republicans would never
publicly say that they want to scrap Social Security. But the last great
progressive program has long been in conservative sights, because it's one
of the best examples of how government can really improve peoples' lives.
It's up to us to lay bare the real motives behind Bush's plan -- and the
time to start is now, when Congress is home and Members are listening.

Thanks for all you do,

--Tom Matzzie, Eli Pariser and the MoveOn.org Team
  Thursday, February 24th, 2005

P.S. Don't forget to forward our Social Security petition to friends, family
and colleagues
http://www.moveon.org/socialsecurity/

Learn more about the facts on the Campaign for America's Future website.
http://www.ourfuture.org/issues_and_campaigns/socialsecurity/index.cfm

Here's an excerpt from Wednesday's CNN Inside Politics describing the
chants.
(Copied from http://www.moveon.org/r?r=643)

JOHNS: It's Drexel University in Philadelphia, day two of a week-long Social
Security state tour by Republican senator Rick Santorum, pitchman for the
president's plan. College Republicans show up to support him. They're trying
to persuade people that there is a genuine crisis in Social Security and
that the program needs to be modernized to survive. But at one point, it
sounds more like they want to scrap it.

CROWD: Hey, hey, ho, ho, Social Security's got to go!

JOHNS: Not exactly the message the president is trying to send.


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