Max Richtman, President of the National Committee, along with Rally Corps members at the event this past Tuesday outside the White House.
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Seniors, Retired Veterans, and the Disabled Will Pay Down Our Nation’s Debt
“If news reports today are correct, President Obama will soon renege on his commitment to keep Social Security out of the deficit debate, ignoring his campaign promise to millions of Americans that he would protect vital middle class programs like Social Security. By including a proposal in his 2014 budget to change the current cost of living allowance formula to a stingier and less accurate Chained CPI, the President has suggested an immediate benefit cut of $130 per year for the typical 65-year old retiree that would grow exponentially to a $1,400 cut after 30 years of retirement.
Contrary to the political spin, this chained CPI proposal isn’t a “tweak” or an “adjustment,” it’s designed to cut benefits and raises taxes, largely on the poor and middle class, totaling $208 billion over ten years. $127.2 billion of those benefits cuts come from Social Security with about $24 billion coming from VA benefits and civilian and military retirement pay cuts. Seniors will have received an average COLA of 1.3% over 4 years with no increase in two of those years. Arguing that is too generous shows how out of touch Washington is with the real-world economic realities facing average Americans. Adopting the chained CPI is nothing more than a political sleight of hand targeting our nation’s middle class and poor.
This budget is also reported to include more means testing in Medicare and less than half the new revenue requested in earlier budget negotiations. The President’s budget is not the balanced plan promised to Americans before November’s election and will leave millions of middle-class families in even worse shape than they are today.”…Max Richtman, NCPSSM President/CEO
Reports that President Obama will not include cuts to Social Security through adoption of the Chained CPI in his 2015 budget is welcome news for millions of seniors, veterans and people with disabilities who are tired of their modest benefits being used as deficit reduction bargaining chips. While it appears the White House has, for now, listened to the vast majority of Americans, of all ages and political parties, the President has still left the door open for more “let’s make a deal” bargaining with seniors’ benefits. He’s taking one step forward by keeping the Chained CPI out of his budget. We hope he won’t end up taking one step back by offering it up again later during any budget talks.
Read the rest of our statement about this news here.
During the 2008 election, President Obama said if elected, he would not cut the cost-of-living adjustment. His new budget plan includes the Chained CPI which is an immediate benefit cut to Social Security. Mr. President, Social Security isn’t a deficit bargaining chip. Keep your promise to the American people
The chained CPI would reduce Social Security benefits for the oldest and most vulnerable Americans who would be least able to afford it.
Max Richtman via Letter to President Obama on Fiscal Year 2016 Budget.
A very large amount of news articles regarding the President dropping Chained CPI from his budget:
Good News For Social Security Beneficiaries…For a Change. - Entitled to Know.
Obama drops Social Security cut. - The Hill.
Obama hands progressives a win on Social Security. - Chicago Sun-Times.
Obama budget proposal to drop Social Security cuts. - Reuters.
Feeling pressure from the left, Obama backs off of Social Security cuts in budget. - Washington Times.
Obama Budget to Delete Proposal to Limit Social Security. - Bloomberg.
White House drops chained Consumer Price Index for Social Security. - Daily Kos.
Obama’s Budget Drops Big Social Security Cut. - Fire Dog Lake.
GOP’s Social Security disaster: Conservatives just lost their chance to cut benefit. - Salon.
Chained CPI Out of Obama Budget! Victory for the New Populists. - Huffington Post.
How John Boehner Spared Democrats Their Own Civil War. - National Journal.
Ultimately Members of Congress urged the President—and he’s agreed – to take the cost of living formula change called the Chained CPI out of his budget. The truth is, deficits are coming down and we didn’t have to target Social Security to do it.
Graphic above via SEIU.
The President has put the Chained CPI in his 2014 Budget. We know it’s a benefit cut to Social Security. Here are a few myths about this stealth benefit cut.
National Committee members and supporters will be converging on the White House tomorrow to protest President Obama’s
budget plan to cut benefits for seniors, retired veterans and people with disabilities.
WHO: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA)
Max Richtman, NCPSSM President and CEO
Damon Silvers, AFL-CIO
Manny Hermann, MoveOn.org
Stephanie Taylor, Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Jim Dean, Democracy for America Chair
Roger Hickey, Campaign for America’s Future
Bonnie Grabenhofer, National Organization for Women
Former Obama for America Supporters & Seniors on Social Security
WHAT: Delivery of more than 1 million petition signatures directly to the White House
WHEN: Tuesday April 9, at 12:30pm (ET)
WHERE: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW - Washington DC (In front of the White House opposite of Lafayette Square)
For those who can’t join us in person, have no fear there’s another way our activists can truly make a difference. Please join our Congressional Call-in Day on Wednesday. One simple toll-free call will connect you directly to your members of Congress and Senate.
The President’s budget plan ignores his statements made during and after the election that Social Security should not be used to cut the deficit and also his promises for a balanced fiscal approach that wouldn’t target middle-class Americans. In truth, President Obama’s budget will cut $127.2 billion in Social Security benefits by adopting the stingier Chained CPI and further means testing in Medicare. It also raises less than half the new revenue offered in previous proposals.
via Entitled to Know.
Delivering over two million petitions to the White House opposing cuts to Social Security benefits. NO to the Chained CPI!