WEEK IN REVIEW
APRIL 29, 2005
DEMOCRATS UNITE IN THE FIGHT TO STOP PRIVATIZATION
This week, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Democratic Members of Congress, and thousands of Americans around the country rallied with a unified voice on our concerns with President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. Organized by Americans United to Protect Social Security, rallies were held across the country on the first day of the Senate Finance Committee hearings on Social Security privatization.
"We stand united today to say that a privatization plan that cuts benefits, deepens our debt, and drains the Social Security trust fund is unworkable, unwise, and unacceptable to the American people," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA).
"The President's privatization plan would shift the risk of the stock market onto middle-class Americans. Democrats won't let a guaranteed benefit become a guaranteed gamble."
The Democratic leaders and Members of Congress signed a Declaration of Unity - and you can sign on as well! Discuss this unity pledge in your local Democratic organizations and speak to the media about your support for these important principles. Include the unity pledge in your letter to the editor or create a flyer to distribute in your community. YOU are the most effective messenger in your community and through your efforts the message of Democratic unity and commitment to strengthen Social Security for all Americans will get to the voters!
A Declaration of Unity: Protect Social Security, Stop Privatization
Social Security guarantees Americans that if they work hard, contribute, and play by the rules, they have earned the right to retire in dignity, and their families will be protected in the event of disability or death.
We are united in our commitment to strengthen Social Security, not privatize it.
We will work to improve the retirement security of all Americans and will oppose any scheme for deep benefit cuts or massive debt to fund risky private accounts.
Learn more here.
President Bush nor the Washington Republicans joined the American people at this rally. In fact on the day of the rally, President Bush rewarded none other than embattled GOP Majority Leader Tom DeLay with a coveted trip aboard Air Force One. The taxpayers should wonder what they discussed during the ride - after all, they paid for the trip! DeLay's bewildering array of ethics violations and investigations into corruption? Or maybe Bush's need to save his sinking Social Security reform dogma that has yet to deliver a specific plan to the American people? Or maybe they worked on language for Bush's address to the nation this week. But when the President spoke on Thursday all he did was confirm he will pay for his risky privatization scheme by cutting the benefits of middle-class recipients. If that performance was supposed to put Bush's second term back on track, Americans are in for 3 1/2 years of great storytelling, but no real solutions to their problems.
REPUBLICAN BUDGETS DON'T MATCH THEIR RHETORIC
Democratic House leaders are succeeding in building support to oppose the oppressive Medicaid cuts in President Bush's proposed budget. Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) reports that a handful of Republicans have joined a united Democratic effort to oppose Medicaid cuts which would leave thousands of women and families unprepared to meet basic health care needs. And Senate Democrats led a similar effort earlier this month. That leaves Bush and Republican leaders with a choice - honor the voices of the people's representatives or use the secretive and closed-door budget 'conference' process to press on with the significant cuts in Medicaid.
Leader Nancy Pelosi reminds us that "cutting Medicaid funds will increase the number of low-income Americans who are uninsured to partially pay for $70 billion in tax cuts for the extremely wealthy. Many of these uninsured, poor Americans are children. I don't think it really is a statement of our values in our budget to cut health care for the poorest children in America to give tax cuts to the wealthiest people in America. And yet at the end of the day, this budget will do all of that and increase our deficits."
We all know Republicans are successful in talking about moral values in public, yet not living out those values when making deals behind closed-doors. You can be the voice in your community that exposes this pattern of double-talk. How will each of us honor and represent our values?
Faith based leaders are joining Democrats to speak out against the Bush budget by asking Congress to reject Bush's current proposal and start over to form a budget that speaks to the values of faith, morals and justice.
A recent statement from five mainline Protestant denominations, the Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church, acknowledges the FY '06 Federal Budget, "continues to ask our nation's working poor to pay the cost of a prosperity in which they may never share. We believe this budget remains unjust. It does not adequately address the more than 36 million Americans living below the poverty line, 45 million without health insurance, or the 13 million hungry children. Worldwide it neither provides sufficient development assistance nor adequately addresses the Global AIDS pandemic."
STILL STANDING UP FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
The Women's Vote Center celebrates the year anniversary of the March for Women's Lives with a salute to those fighting in every community for women's health - YOU!
One year ago this week on April 24, 2004, over one million of you came to Washington, DC to March for Women's Lives. And the Democratic National Committee was proud to carry the names of the 15,000 women and men who signed up as virtual marchers in our delegation. The need to focus on women's health continues - in your State Legislature, County Commission, City Council and, yes, in Congress. This week, we ask you to rededicate yourself to fight for quality women's health - through protection of Medicaid funding, fair and equitable women's health research, sexual education that is medically accurate, efforts to end violence against women and supporting the right to make personal and private reproductive choices with the health care provider of your choice.
DEMOCRATS TAKING THE LEAD
Governor Christine Gregoire was sworn in months ago in Washington State-- the Republican Secretary of State certified her victory, and she's been governing for over 100 days. Her race was close -- that's why, immediately after the election, an initial machine recount was conducted. Then, even though the Washington State Democratic Party had to pay for it (which they did with your help), a hand recount was conducted to make sure that every legal vote was protected and counted.
But guess what -- the Republican who lost the election still won't admit defeat. He's struggling to seize power and stay in the headlines by holding press conferences, running ads and filing junk lawsuits. He has even publicly released lists of people he thinks shouldn't have been allowed to vote and accused others of being convicted felons -- only to find that his lists contained registered, legal voters every time.
We're proud of Christine Gregoire, the former Attorney General and now one of six Democratic women Governors in the country. Let's join with the Democratic activists in Washington who continue daily work to beat back this assault on their elected governor. No one anticipated the Republicans would lose the election and mount a reckless and absurd campaign for months after the election. The state party needs resources to keep its team going -- to keep fighting back in public and in the courtroom. Please consider a contribution to help Christine Gregoire...so she can keep fighting for us!
https://secure.wa-democrats.org/contribute_dnc.php
WOMAN STATE LEGISLATOR FIGHTS IGNORANCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Kudos to South Carolina state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D). Cobb-Hunter, also an advisory board member of the Women's Vote Center, sponsored legislation called Protect Our Women in Every Relationship, or POWER, to increase penalties for those repeat offenders that physically abuse their spouse and family. But a House Judiciary committee tabled the bill; on the same day they supported a bill to make cockfighting a felony.
One Republican in the South Carolina House, ignorant to the real and unacceptable circumstances women face who domestic violence situations, told a reporter he questioned why women stay with men who abuse them. Rep. John Altman (R) said "I don't know why anybody who gets beaten up goes back to being beaten up again." And following the committee's hearing, male lawmakers were overheard on a reporter's audiotape suggesting the bill should be called "Protect Our People in Every Relationship" which could be considered a good move...until the recorded voices went on to announce the new acronym would be called 'POPER.' A voice then pronounces the bill name as "Pop her" and another says 'Pop her again" which is followed by laughter.
Cobb-Hunter has not let the negative situation slow her fight to assist women in domestic violence situations. Using the media buzz created by the above statements, Cobb-Hunter has taken the lead to get commitments to move forward on the legislation, expecting a version of the bill to pass within weeks. Domestic violence is a growing issue for women and their families and we applaud our women state lawmakers who fight to raise the issue and keep women safe.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"You know, if President Bush was here, I would advise him as a friend and as an American that there are just three things you don't do. One, you don't spit against the wind. Two, you don't look under the lone ranger's mask. And three, you don't mess with our Social Security."
- Rep. Charlie Rangel, speaking at the Americans United to Protect Social Security, March 26, 2005
DEMOCRATS UNITE IN THE FIGHT TO STOP PRIVATIZATION
This week, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (NV), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Democratic Members of Congress, and thousands of Americans around the country rallied with a unified voice on our concerns with President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. Organized by Americans United to Protect Social Security, rallies were held across the country on the first day of the Senate Finance Committee hearings on Social Security privatization.
"We stand united today to say that a privatization plan that cuts benefits, deepens our debt, and drains the Social Security trust fund is unworkable, unwise, and unacceptable to the American people," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA).
"The President's privatization plan would shift the risk of the stock market onto middle-class Americans. Democrats won't let a guaranteed benefit become a guaranteed gamble."
The Democratic leaders and Members of Congress signed a Declaration of Unity - and you can sign on as well! Discuss this unity pledge in your local Democratic organizations and speak to the media about your support for these important principles. Include the unity pledge in your letter to the editor or create a flyer to distribute in your community. YOU are the most effective messenger in your community and through your efforts the message of Democratic unity and commitment to strengthen Social Security for all Americans will get to the voters!
A Declaration of Unity: Protect Social Security, Stop Privatization
Social Security guarantees Americans that if they work hard, contribute, and play by the rules, they have earned the right to retire in dignity, and their families will be protected in the event of disability or death.
We are united in our commitment to strengthen Social Security, not privatize it.
We will work to improve the retirement security of all Americans and will oppose any scheme for deep benefit cuts or massive debt to fund risky private accounts.
Learn more here.
President Bush nor the Washington Republicans joined the American people at this rally. In fact on the day of the rally, President Bush rewarded none other than embattled GOP Majority Leader Tom DeLay with a coveted trip aboard Air Force One. The taxpayers should wonder what they discussed during the ride - after all, they paid for the trip! DeLay's bewildering array of ethics violations and investigations into corruption? Or maybe Bush's need to save his sinking Social Security reform dogma that has yet to deliver a specific plan to the American people? Or maybe they worked on language for Bush's address to the nation this week. But when the President spoke on Thursday all he did was confirm he will pay for his risky privatization scheme by cutting the benefits of middle-class recipients. If that performance was supposed to put Bush's second term back on track, Americans are in for 3 1/2 years of great storytelling, but no real solutions to their problems.
REPUBLICAN BUDGETS DON'T MATCH THEIR RHETORIC
Democratic House leaders are succeeding in building support to oppose the oppressive Medicaid cuts in President Bush's proposed budget. Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) reports that a handful of Republicans have joined a united Democratic effort to oppose Medicaid cuts which would leave thousands of women and families unprepared to meet basic health care needs. And Senate Democrats led a similar effort earlier this month. That leaves Bush and Republican leaders with a choice - honor the voices of the people's representatives or use the secretive and closed-door budget 'conference' process to press on with the significant cuts in Medicaid.
Leader Nancy Pelosi reminds us that "cutting Medicaid funds will increase the number of low-income Americans who are uninsured to partially pay for $70 billion in tax cuts for the extremely wealthy. Many of these uninsured, poor Americans are children. I don't think it really is a statement of our values in our budget to cut health care for the poorest children in America to give tax cuts to the wealthiest people in America. And yet at the end of the day, this budget will do all of that and increase our deficits."
We all know Republicans are successful in talking about moral values in public, yet not living out those values when making deals behind closed-doors. You can be the voice in your community that exposes this pattern of double-talk. How will each of us honor and represent our values?
Faith based leaders are joining Democrats to speak out against the Bush budget by asking Congress to reject Bush's current proposal and start over to form a budget that speaks to the values of faith, morals and justice.
A recent statement from five mainline Protestant denominations, the Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church, acknowledges the FY '06 Federal Budget, "continues to ask our nation's working poor to pay the cost of a prosperity in which they may never share. We believe this budget remains unjust. It does not adequately address the more than 36 million Americans living below the poverty line, 45 million without health insurance, or the 13 million hungry children. Worldwide it neither provides sufficient development assistance nor adequately addresses the Global AIDS pandemic."
STILL STANDING UP FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
The Women's Vote Center celebrates the year anniversary of the March for Women's Lives with a salute to those fighting in every community for women's health - YOU!
One year ago this week on April 24, 2004, over one million of you came to Washington, DC to March for Women's Lives. And the Democratic National Committee was proud to carry the names of the 15,000 women and men who signed up as virtual marchers in our delegation. The need to focus on women's health continues - in your State Legislature, County Commission, City Council and, yes, in Congress. This week, we ask you to rededicate yourself to fight for quality women's health - through protection of Medicaid funding, fair and equitable women's health research, sexual education that is medically accurate, efforts to end violence against women and supporting the right to make personal and private reproductive choices with the health care provider of your choice.
DEMOCRATS TAKING THE LEAD
Governor Christine Gregoire was sworn in months ago in Washington State-- the Republican Secretary of State certified her victory, and she's been governing for over 100 days. Her race was close -- that's why, immediately after the election, an initial machine recount was conducted. Then, even though the Washington State Democratic Party had to pay for it (which they did with your help), a hand recount was conducted to make sure that every legal vote was protected and counted.
But guess what -- the Republican who lost the election still won't admit defeat. He's struggling to seize power and stay in the headlines by holding press conferences, running ads and filing junk lawsuits. He has even publicly released lists of people he thinks shouldn't have been allowed to vote and accused others of being convicted felons -- only to find that his lists contained registered, legal voters every time.
We're proud of Christine Gregoire, the former Attorney General and now one of six Democratic women Governors in the country. Let's join with the Democratic activists in Washington who continue daily work to beat back this assault on their elected governor. No one anticipated the Republicans would lose the election and mount a reckless and absurd campaign for months after the election. The state party needs resources to keep its team going -- to keep fighting back in public and in the courtroom. Please consider a contribution to help Christine Gregoire...so she can keep fighting for us!
https://secure.wa-democrats.org/contribute_dnc.php
WOMAN STATE LEGISLATOR FIGHTS IGNORANCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Kudos to South Carolina state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D). Cobb-Hunter, also an advisory board member of the Women's Vote Center, sponsored legislation called Protect Our Women in Every Relationship, or POWER, to increase penalties for those repeat offenders that physically abuse their spouse and family. But a House Judiciary committee tabled the bill; on the same day they supported a bill to make cockfighting a felony.
One Republican in the South Carolina House, ignorant to the real and unacceptable circumstances women face who domestic violence situations, told a reporter he questioned why women stay with men who abuse them. Rep. John Altman (R) said "I don't know why anybody who gets beaten up goes back to being beaten up again." And following the committee's hearing, male lawmakers were overheard on a reporter's audiotape suggesting the bill should be called "Protect Our People in Every Relationship" which could be considered a good move...until the recorded voices went on to announce the new acronym would be called 'POPER.' A voice then pronounces the bill name as "Pop her" and another says 'Pop her again" which is followed by laughter.
Cobb-Hunter has not let the negative situation slow her fight to assist women in domestic violence situations. Using the media buzz created by the above statements, Cobb-Hunter has taken the lead to get commitments to move forward on the legislation, expecting a version of the bill to pass within weeks. Domestic violence is a growing issue for women and their families and we applaud our women state lawmakers who fight to raise the issue and keep women safe.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"You know, if President Bush was here, I would advise him as a friend and as an American that there are just three things you don't do. One, you don't spit against the wind. Two, you don't look under the lone ranger's mask. And three, you don't mess with our Social Security."
- Rep. Charlie Rangel, speaking at the Americans United to Protect Social Security, March 26, 2005
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 5:00 AM
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