One small step for Social Security

One GIANT step for Shiawassee Democrats.

Dave Camp, Rep., US Rep for 4th district in MI, was in Owosso for a town hall meeting on social security. Our democrats showed up in force and really handed it to him. here are some of the highlights:

1. our people arrived early & put flyers on each seat. When the audience arrived, the flyers were already distributed to them before Camp’s people were there to distribute their own lit, a booklet called “The Need to Strengthen Social Security Today.”

2. the first question posed was by our people: “isn’t the social security ‘crisis’ just another manufactured crisis by this administration” … that set the tone for the whole town meeting

3. When Camp tried to reassure seniors that the proposed changes would not affect them, our seniors responded with outrage at the notion that “what affects our children and grandchildren does not affect us” … there was also a senior there who shared a story about how he purchased a $2,000. investment account for his grandchild, and the account was only worth about $500 now. some other seniors had similar experiences

1. someone who represented people collecting SS disability benefits brought up the fact that these people (about 30% of the recipients) were being left out of the proposed ‘reform’.
   
   
2. someone pointed out the foolishness of making $11 billion in permanent tax cuts, when the SS shortfall is $3-4 billion
   
   
3. the last page of Camp’s ‘strengthen social security today’ book had a quote from him “We must strengthen the Social Security system for future retirees while guaranteeing no cuts in benefits for current retirees and anyone 55 years and older…” on which one woman commented, “I notice you only guarantee no cuts in benefits for those 55 years and older… What about those my age and younger? You don’t guarantee benefits to us because you can’t, can you?”
   
4. When the imbalance between spending and revenue arose in connection with Social Security, as well as the need for responsibility in Washington, Camp tried to squelch that argument, calling it in effect a non-issue. One audience member responded, “These, (indicating the audience) are your constituents. If they say something’s an issue then it’s an issue.”
   
5. the congressman made a point that there was support (in government) for controlling ‘non-defense spending’, and someone in the audience said that defense spending shouldn’t get a free pass. Camp tried to use 9-11 as a defense for that and the audience responded with some strong statements, like “you can’t hide behind 9-11 forever.” There were a lot of strong feelings about the misuse of 9-11.
   

Other issues that came up included, the estimated cost of privatization, the unreliability of the administrations numbers in the past, and their lack of credibility now, more about the risk involved in replacing a system of secure retirements with speculative private investment, the subsequent increase in bureaucracy, the added debt, and the foreign ownership of that debt.

We outnumbered the republicans, for sure. There was one question from the audience that seemed neutral, but no one in the audience spoke up in support of the reforms.

If you have any success stories, please share them. If you have a town hall meeting coming your way, I hope you’ll prepare a group of people and give a strong showing like the Dems here in Shiawassee. Good job to all of them, & good luck to all of you who have one of these town hall meetings coming your way.

(Shiawassee County Democratic Party ... http://www.shiawasseedems.com)

we have to take the initiative and get out there to show the hack politicians of both parties how to do it.........and threaten them with being voted out of office if they do not respect the constituents instead of the corporations that are bribing them.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/liberaltshirts.htm

went well for our side according to two of my friends who were there.

Chris Van Hollen is a great Democratic representative for that district and he spoke to the seniors. They are really upset about social security changes proposed by Bush.

<< someone who represented people collecting SS disability benefits brought up the fact that these people (about 30% of the recipients) were being left out of the proposed ‘reform’. >>

I am very glad to know that this issue has been brought up. What are *'s plan for the people in America that are disabled and receiving SSDI benefits?

I for one am extremely worried about this.

I am also glad to know that the seniors spoke up and stated that it wasn't just about themselves, but about FUTURE GENERATIONS!

GOOD FOR THEM AND GOOD FOR YOU! :D

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