Saturday, June 26: STAND UP for Social Security and Medicare, and against the deficit hawks!

On Saturday, the latest attacks on Social Security begin, with an America Speaks National Town Meeting. Don't let the deficit hawks endanger America's most effective social program. Make your voice heard.


Philadelphia Jobs with Justice encourages everyone to join with Social Security Works in a picket at the America Speaks National Town Meeting, which aims to gut Social Security and Medicare. Please join us at the picket line at 10:30, or, if you can, register to attend the event and speak up! More about the President's bi-partisan commission and the likelihood it will recommend devastating cuts to these critical programs, can be found here.


PICKET: 10:30 am, Saturday, June 26, 38th & Market Streets


The Philadelphia Town Meeting details:

Sat, Jun 26, 2010  |  11:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Philadelphia Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor
First District Plaza, 3801 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

DIRECTIONS: http://www.firstdistrictplaza.com/1088231.html

Dear Friends,

It doesn't matter that spurring job growth is the best way to address the nation's economic problems. It doesn't matter that most of our deficit today stems from the economic crisis, President Bush's tax cuts for the rich and the cost of two wars that were never paid for. It doesn't matter that long-term deficits are driven by the inefficiency of our health care system.

Conservative groups and Wall Street players are spending more than $1 billion to convince the public to cut Social Security to ribbons and stymie the kinds of domestic investments that fuel job growth--all in the name of deficit reduction. Social Security--which is not responsible for the deficit and should be providing more, not less, retirement security--must not be on the chopping block.

The next big attack on Social Security starts in earnest on Saturday, during an America Speaks National Town Meeting in at least 19 locations and online. Organizers and funders include groups that have been gunning for Social Security, and although the national town hall is billed as "neutral," we expect the questions asked will be skewed to solicit responses aimed at cutting the budget at the expense of working people and retirees and sparing Wall Street and the wealthy from having to pay their fair share for the investments needed to fuel strong job growth. Don't let the conversation be one-sided.

Outside some of the meetings, activists will be protesting under the banner "Hands Off Social Security and Medicare: Make Wall Street Pay." 

Organizers plan to present results from the national town hall meeting to Congress, President Obama, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force and the public--and to lobby to get them enacted.

Make sure the point of view of pro-worker, pro-retiree progressive activists is heard loud and clear by taking part.

In solidarity,

Marc Laitin

AFL-CIO Online Mobilization Coordinator