As you know, enormously crucial decisions are being made in Washington now which will impact the future of our country for decades. Please join me for an interactive discussion on issues ranging from how we protect Social Security for our kids and grandchildren, to how we create the millions of new jobs we desperately need to how we address the deficit crisis in a fair and progressive way.
Sign up to join me for DFA Live on Tuesday, December 7th, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
In terms of Social Security, let's be very clear. Social Security has not added one dime to either the federal deficit or the national debt. In fact, Social Security is running a $2.6 trillion surplus that is projected to grow to over $4 trillion by the year 2023. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that even if no changes are made, Social Security will be able to pay full benefits to every eligible American until the year 2039. In other words, Social Security is not in crisis.
Meanwhile, the Republicans in Congress, who claim to be so concerned about our large deficit want to extend Bush's massive tax breaks to the wealthiest 2% of Americans -- which will add, over a ten year period, $700 billion to our national debt. Given the fact that we already have the most unequal distribution of income of any major country, this is a totally absurd and irresponsible proposal.
That's why I organized a working group in Congress to provide a real, progressive alternative to the Deficit Commission's recommendations. We can move this country forward in reducing our national debt, but we don't have to do it on the backs of the already suffering middle class and working families of this country.
All and all, there's a lot to talk about and I look forward to a lively discussion with my friends at Democracy for America. Thank you very much for your grassroots activism. Together, we will move this country forward.
Please join me and my friends at Democracy for America next Tuesday, December 7th at 8:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) for DFA Live -- a conversation on some of the important issues facing our country including Social Security, reducing the deficit in a fair and progressive way and job creation.
Thank you,
-Bernie
P.S. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date on the work I'm doing on Social Security, the deficit, job creation and more.
By Pat Young
Chris Cox is running hard against Congressman Tim Bishop in one of the few swing Congressional seats in New York. The First CD in eastern Suffolk County has changed hands repeatedly over the last several decades.
The district has a strong tea party faction organized around Glenn Beck’s 9/12 group. The faction incorporates many activists from the area’s well developed anti-immigrant organizations. The district was the scene of multiple attacks on Latino immigrants in 2007 and 2008, culminating in the killing of Marcelo Lucero in 2008.
Cox has announced he will “stand with the tea party” on the immigration issue. He recently released a statement praising Arizona’s SB 1070 law which was recently enjoined by a Federal court. Cox said:
“I know how hard so many people have fought to become citizens of this country, and I know that we need to secure our borders. That’s the obligation of the federal government and the federal government has failed. God Bless Arizona for standing up and trying to protect its citizens!”
After the law was stayed in July because of its dubious constitutionality, Cox said:
“The Arizona legislature passed common-sense legislation to protect their citizens because the Federal government has completely failed to secure our borders. Along with Governor Jan Brewer…, I am deeply disappointed that a Federal judge has blocked key provisions of Arizona’s law. The citizens of Arizona have been subjected to criminal aliens, including violent drug gangs, because our borders are porous. As a Member of Congress, I will support legislation to strengthen border security and enforce Federal immigration laws. Unlike Tim Bishop who wants to reward illegal immigrants with citizenship under what he calls ‘Earned Legalization,’ I support the rule of law and I oppose amnesty.”
Cox is an odd source of such a hard line. He is the grandson of disgraced former President Richard Nixon who was saved from jail by a presidential pardon, a sort of one-man amnesty.
Cox’s father, Ed cox, is the head of the state Republican party. Ed Cox led the failed effort to convince Republicans to nominate virulently anti-immigrant Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy for governor.