Emali: smuscarella@pef.org.
Help derail threats to Social Security
On May 24, I traveled to Rochester with a group of concerned citizens for a protest rally outside a “town meeting” where President George W. Bush was speaking to a hand-picked audience of supporters about his plans for Social Security.
This “Rally to Defend Social Security,” staged by the Rochester Labor Council, included members from every major union in western New York, the Alliance for Retired Americans and other senior groups, youth representatives and various government office holders. Eileen Spence, president of the Rochester Chapter of PEF Retirees, PEF field rep Bruce Smith and myself, represented PEF Retirees.
Our messages were clear: “Keep your hands off Social Security,” and “We’re in this together.”
Many alarmed and angry people spoke at the rally. One asserted, “Christian values do not include stealing money from the poor, the disabled and working class people.” Another criticized Congress, saying it seems to care more about baseball than the critical issues facing our nation.
One speaker said, “We’re not going to stand aside and see him rip off our children and grandchildren.” Others said they didn’t believe the president’s claims that proposed changes would not hurt people already receiving Social Security benefits.
Social Security has been characterized as the most successful, reliable and far-reaching social insurance program in the history of the world. In the past 70 years, the program has never missed a payment to the elderly, the disabled, widows or other dependents. It is a guaranteed benefit credited with greatly reducing poverty among the elderly in this country.
The Economic Policy Institute and numerous other economists tell us Social Security is not in crisis. Social Security, as it stands today, will pay full benefits until 2042. While most experts agree the program will begin to be underfunded in 37 years, they call for a measured, well thought out plan to strengthen the program.
Central to President Bush’s plan for Social Security are privately managed individual accounts. They would take money out of the system and exacerbate the
underfunding.
Additionally, transition costs for these proposed changes are estimated to be in the trillions of dollars. Privatization would make Wall Street happy but runs counter to the health of the system.
A recent CBS News poll “found 68 percent of Americans age 65 and older disapprove of his (President Bush’s) handling of the issue; among the 45-64 age group, 67 percent disapprove.”
PEF Retirees is dedicated to protect and enhance the security and benefits of our members. The fight is on and the fight is now. We urge you to join with your fellow union members, senior groups and other concerned citizens and tell your representatives in Congress you disapprove of changes such as privatization that weaken Social Security.
We can avoid a catastrophic mistake if we remember “We’re in this together.”
WE’RE WITH YOU — PEF NYC Retirees Chapter President Richard Magelaner and retiree Charlie Davis show their support for PEF’s efforts to get the state Labor Department to keep its call center open in Manhattan. Magelaner and Davis are among many members and supporters who turned out for a rally on Broadway next to City Hall Park on a hot summer day in mid-June.
— Photo by Richard Dillard
The
Communicator July/August 05
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