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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAlan Grayson: How We Killed Social Security Cuts
from my email ....
How is that crazy proposal to cut Social Security benefits?
Food for worms. Kicked the bucket. Bought the farm. Six feet under. Dead dead dead.
What do I mean?
On April 5, the New York Times ran this disturbing headline:
"Obama Budget to Include Cuts to Programs in Hopes of Deal"
But here are some more recent headlines:
Red-State Democrats Buck Obama On Social Security Cuts, Huffington Post
Ryan Sees No 'Grand Bargain' on Budget, Wall Street Journal
Republicans Sean Duffy, Phil Gingrey Oppose Obama's Social Security Cut, Huffington Post
Richard Trumka: The 'grand bargain' is a dead end, The Cap Times
Deficit Deal Even Less Likely, Wall Street Journal
No Push for a Grand Bargain on the Deficit? Fox Business News
And who led the charge? Moi, as John Kerry would say. Consider this quote from the lead article in the New York Times on April 10, just after Obama's budget was released:
"The A.F.L.-C.I.O. president, Richard Trumka, in a blistering statement, called the proposed changes "wrong and indefensible." An e-mail from Representative Alan Grayson, a liberal from Florida, was headlined "Presidents Budget Breaks Promise to Seniors."
We won.
But this proposal, like Dracula, will come back from the dead. Wall Street is always hungry for money, and the Social Security Trust Fund has a lot of it. For now, though, we've beaten them.
How did we do it?
We organized. We called. We e-mailed. We got an army of more than three million people together to say no. With one voice. We got more than 45 Democratic Members of Congress to commit that they would not vote for legislation that includes these cuts. Real Democrats, not squishy, sort of, kind of, Democrats. Then we began to peel off Republicans.
But we need more than a stop sign. We need a green light towards a better life for all Americans.
Over the course of the next month or so, I'm going to be laying out an agenda for real Democrats. Not half a loaf, but a loaf and a half.
Get excited. True Blue Democrats -- we are coming.
Courage,
Congressman Alan Grayson
And not even a request for money!
mick063
(2,424 posts)Pretty please.
Triana
(22,666 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)He's getting to be like Kim Jong Eun with the war threats.
madokie
(51,076 posts)He was or is a member of DU under his own name too so if he does we'll all know it right off.
I'd vote for Alan Grayson no matter what he was running for if given a chance. He's a good man fighting the good fight
LuvNewcastle
(16,846 posts)There is really no one I'd rather see in the White House.
madokie
(51,076 posts)CrispyQ
(36,477 posts)No purple or half loaf dems.
Time to send Rep Grayson some coin.
Melissa G
(10,170 posts)HE is what Hope looks like!
OriginalGeek
(12,132 posts)for my Rep.
Flatulo
(5,005 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)We know who our friends are.
johnnyreb
(915 posts)hootinholler
(26,449 posts)Seems like an old standby when they don't have any irons in the fire.
Harmony Blue
(3,978 posts)voiced their opinions using any medium possible. They thought they could slip it through during our darkest hour but they were wrong as usual. Always stay focused on why social security exists and what it means to millions, and millions of Americans.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)At least half of those responsible are Cons or Blue Dogs. So what did we win??? Dems are still willing to sell us out. It was the other side that saved us just because they simply won't make any deal with Obama. That doesn't mean we won though. I haven't heard the Dem party or Obama standing up for SS and Medicare save for the usual suspects.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)ananda
(28,865 posts)Please run for President.