Urgent response needed Social Security

02/04/2005

Below is a request from Mike Erlandson to flood the newspapers with
letters to the editor opposing Bush’s privitizing of Social
Security.

Please write a letter. Get your friends to write a letter.  If you
need help or would like to join our LTE group please let me know.

- Ellen St. John

Dear DFL Rapid-Responders,

In addition to spending some of his State of the Union address
talking about the need to privatize Social Security (calling them
“personal retirement accounts"), today Bush is launching his multi-million
dollar PR campaign to privatize Social Security just across the river from
our very own Moorhead, Minnesota in Fargo!

Please take action IMMEDIATELY by writing letters to the editor
demanding that Bush “not gamble our Social Security.” Remind people
that the only Social Security crisis is the Republicans efforts
to privatize it!  For info on writing good letters, or to get the
contact information for your local paper, click here

http://dfl.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={5DCDEE88-AE9E-458D-B182-
91727FEEF2A9}>

We need to flood the editorial pages this week and over the
weekend.

Please write a brief letter and send it to the daily papers in your
area

(possible talking points below).  Don’t wait for others to do
this. As the DFL’s rapid-response team, I am asking you to take action
today!

There has never been a more important campaign for Democrats to win!

Thanks,

Mike Erlandson
Minnesota DFL Party Chair

Suggested Talking Points:

Social Security’s Proven Record

* Social Security is an American success story that safeguards
American independence and provides economic security when they get older.

* Social Security faces a long-term challenge, not a crisis.

* Americans have earned their Social Security benefits. It would
be a breach of trust to penalize Americans who have been paying into
Social Security all their lives.

* Democrats will preserve Social Security’s promise that, if the
need arises, widows, orphans, and people with disabilities, will be
protected.

Republican Privatization Plans would Dismantle Social Security

* Private accounts would make the challenge worse by draining
trillions of dollars from the Social Security Trust Fund.

* Private accounts would slash benefits by more than 40 percent
for future retirees.

* Risky private accounts would not make up for the loss in
benefits, and future taxpayers would be burdened with bailing out
unsuccessful investors.

* Massive government borrowing resulting from privatization
makes it harder to save Social Security, endangers our economy, and
increases our debt to foreign nations.

* Democrats will Preserve Social Security for Future Generations

* Democrats will ensure every penny borrowed from Social
Security is paid back.

* Social Security is a critical part of a diversified retirement
portfolio. Democrats want to help families save by expanding access
to 401(k), IRA, and other pension opportunities.

* Democrats are ready to work with Republicans to protect the
Social Security Trust Fund. But the President must make a good faith
effort to work in a bipartisan way. A good first step would be for
the President to put forth a plan that does not increase the deficit, harm
the middle class, or slash guaranteed benefits.