SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE ALERT - 2011

There are currently seventeen bills pending in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate that are related to changes in Social Security.  This staggering number of Social Security bills, now being considered in various committees, where amendments will be added or the bills changed, shows how determined many elected officials are in either privatizing or killing two of the most beneficial programs to protect the public ever created (with the exception of the U.S. EPA and our Clear Air and Water Act Laws).
President Obama and members of the U.S. House and Senate have placed Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block in ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.  In these secret negotiations, far away from public enlightenment or debate, deals are being cooked-up to undermine, cut or privatize these important and highly beneficial programs.   

If you want to read current U.S. House or Senate Legislation on Social Security & Medicare visit this website:  http://www.govtrack.us/ 

Please note that the title of these Bills can be highly misleading and does not reflect the written content of the legislation.

Another source of information or to read the complete bill texts on current U.S. House or Senate Legislation visit this website:         http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php

More bills will be added to this list as they are introduced (See [1-2] above for full text of these bills, their current status and which committee, and committee members, will be conducting hearings on these bills).

The Toll Free Telephone Number for all members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives:  (1866) 220-0044

The drumbeat has been increasing since 2010, to undermine Social Security and Medicare.  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been leading the charge since 2007, to make critical changes to these programs claiming that these programs are the key to solving our financial deficit.  Chairman Bernanke and President Obama took the first steps in this direction when they gave a tax holiday in December 2010, to those making Social Security tax payments, in a tax deal with Republicans.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders spoke for over 8 hours on the floor of the U.S. Senate and outlined the problems faced with the passage of the tax cut bill for "millionaires and billionaires", which passed on December 17, 2010, and has now been signed into law by President Obama.  (See his U.S. Senate speech below.)

Social Security and Medicare are high on the list of President Obama's Debt Commission list of recommendations for several cuts as well. All of these recommendations will be at the forefront of U.S. Congressional Actions in 2011. President Obama should not be trusted to protect Social Security in the future because he allowed for its undermining in his tax giveaway to the very rich in December 2010.  Our only protection for Social Security and Medicare will be by the people taking action in 2011, to protect these programs.
Instead of making recommendations about funding the U.S. War that continues in Iraq, where 50,000+/- troops are to remain indefinitely, along with thousands of private contractors, and other U.S. employees, the commission seems to be only interested in undermining Social Security and Medicare.  With escalating wars in Pakistan and Afghanistan escalating the national debt by $Billions each month along with Pentagon spending, the President's commission seems unwilling to tackle these costs...instead working on budget cutbacks in social services to overcome ever-increasing deficits.
According to Bloomberg News (April 27, 2010):  "...The AARP, the Washington-based advocacy group for the elderly, said yesterday the panel should forswear cutting Social Security, which provides “financial security for millions of older adults -- many of whom are kept out of poverty” by it. Roger Hickey, co-director of the Washington-based Campaign for America’s Future, said “deficit hysteria” was being used to clear the way for painful cuts in Medicare..."
With unemployment reaching epidemic levels and the undermining of our pensions, through poor investments and Wall Street Ponzi Schemes, the public is finding that their retirement income is being eroded at an alarming rate.  We cannot allow Social Security to be undermined at a time when many older citizens will find that this is their only source of income due to pension losses.  In addition, the elderly cannot afford to depend on their children to support them if Social Security and Medicare benefits are cut or undermined, due to ever-increasing low wages and job losses in the U.S.
U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson made the following statement at a Public Meeting in Mendocino County, California on August 19, 2010:  "...it's not true that it's "broke."  Thompson stated that Social Security is solvent until 2037. "Social Security was a very far-reaching program. It's the most successful government program there's ever been," said Thompson. "It's responsible for keeping a heck of a lot of people out of poverty; it's an absolute lifeline for many and important for the economy..."
"...Thompson said the scope of Social Security has greatly expanded since it was signed into law 75 years ago. In Mendocino County alone, Social Security — just the retirement portion — accounts for $207 million in income, he said...In closing, Thompson directed a comment to the senior population. "The senior voice is a very loud voice. You have clout and you should use that," said Thompson.

408 1 PETITION TO PREVENT THE PRIVATIZATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY.pdf
408 1 2010 Social Security Payroll Tax Holiday for 2011 Undermining Social Security Reduced Tax Withhold for SSI DEC 17 2010.pdf
408 1 2011 AARP Letter to the U.S. Congress on Medicare and Social Security April 14 2011.pdf
408 1 2011 NWV Social Security on the Government Chopping Block by Rosalind June 11 2011.pdf
408 2010 U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke Wants Your Social Security Money Huffington Post OCT 6 2010.pdf
408 2011 U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich Advocating for Single Payer Not for Profit Health Care For All January 19 2011.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 1052 Social Security Guarantee Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 1118 Social Security Protection Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 1332 Social Security Fairness Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 149 Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act of 2011 Text of Bill Do Not Support this Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 1538 Social Security Identity Defense Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 160 Social Security Fairness for the Terminally Ill Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 1630 Social Security and Medicare Protection Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 181 Social Security Totalization Agreement Reform Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 219 Social Security Preservation Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 311 Social Security Number Fraudulent Use Notification Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 787 Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 796 Social Security Protection and Truth in Budgeting Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. House Bill 797 Social Security No Loopholes in Social Security Taxes Act of 2011 Text of Bill Consider this Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. Senate Bill 123 Social Security Lock Box Act of 2011 Text of Bill Do Not Support this Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. Senate Bill 582 Social Security Protection Act of 2011 Text of Bill Text Support This Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. Senate Bill 804 Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act of 2011 Text of Bill.pdf
408B 2011 U.S. Senate Bill Social Security Protection Act of 2011 Text of Bill Support This Bill.pdf
408F 2007 Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke on Social Security MSNBC News.pdf
408F 2010 Alan Simpson Co Chairman of Obama Deficit Reduction Commission Mr. Simpson Has a Cow August 27 2010 NYTimes.pdf
408F 2010 Debt Commission Final Report Controversial The Washington Post DEC 1 2010.pdf
408F 2010 Final Report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform December 2010 Note Items on Social Security Medicare.pdf
408F 2010 MSNBC Transcript Countdown With Keith Olbermann on Social Security Debt Commission August 25 2010 Simpson Should Resign from Commission.pdf
408F 2010 MSNBC Transcript Countdown With Keith Olberman on Social Security Debt Commission August 25 2010 Simpson Should Resign from Commission.pdf
408F 2010 National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Recommends Cuts in Social Security Medicare.pdf
408F 2010 U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Wants to Dump Social Security Medicare December 3 2010 Congressional Hearings.pdf
408F 2010 White House Advisers Have Begun Preparing President Obama Next State of Union Address Debt Commission Mentioned DEC 24 2010 The Washington Post.pdf
408H 2010 U.S. Senate Hearing on Social Security October 7 2010 http http://www.c/ span.pdf
408K 2011 Ukiah Senior Center Ending Program Offering Food Health Care Companship Ukiah Daily Journal April 18 2011 News.pdf
408M 2011 Governors May Slash Medicaid including California Other States NYTimes JAN 28 2011 Entire Article.pdf
408M 2011 Governors May Slash Medicaid including California Other States NYTimes JAN 28 2011 Page 1.pdf
408M 2011 U.S. Congress Budget Battles New Threat to Medicaid Medicare April 5 2011 NYTimes.pdf
408M 2011 U.S. House Republicans to Launch Quest to Privatize Medicare APNEWS January 28 2011.pdf
408NZ 2011 Social Security Benefits Going Paperless Debit Card or Direct Deposit NYTimes January 28 2011.pdf
408N 2011 Gang of Six in U.S. Senate Seeking a Plan on Debt Social Security Medicare in the Deal April 16 2011 NYTimes.pdf
408Q 2010 December 2010 Obama Tax Deal With Republican Will Kill Social Security The Hill December 2010.pdf
408R 2010 Report Social Security Benefits Would be Cut Under Republican Proposals October 20 2010 The Hill News 50 Percent Cuts Planned.pdf
408V 2011 Social Security Retirement Past and Future of Social Security FEB 22 2011 C SPAN Video.pdf
408X 2010 Gibbs Makes it Official Obama Likely to Seek Re Election DEC 26 2010 Social Security Medicare on Cuts Agenda.pdf
408X 2010 U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Tax Cut Deal Could Doom Social Security December 14 2010 Huffington Post.pdf
408X 2011 Charlie Rose Interviews Timothy Geithner U.S. Treasury Secretary January 28 2011 http http://www.charlierose/ Video.pdf
408X 2011 President Obama to Press Centrist Agenda in State of the Union Address NYTimes January 22 2011 Note Social Security Medicare.pdf
408 1 2010 Social Security Payroll Tax Holiday for 2011 Undermining Social Security Reduced Tax Withhold for SSI DEC 17 2010.pdf
408 1 2011 AARP Letter to the U.S. Congress on Medicare and Social Security April 14 2011.pdf
408 1 2011 NWV Social Security on the Government Chopping Block by Rosalind June 11 2011.pdf
408 2010 U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke Wants Your Social Security Money Huffington Post OCT 6 2010.pdf
408 2011 U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich Advocating for Single Payer Not for Profit Health Care For All January 19 2011.pdf

408F 2010 MSNBC Transcript Countdown With Keith Olberman on Social Security+Debt Commission August 25, 2010 Simpson Should Resign from Commission.pdf
408 1 NWV Protect Social Security June 4, 2009 Article by Rosalind Peterson.pdf
408 2010 Congressman Thompson Talks Turkey August 19, 2010 Ukiah Daily Journal Social Security+Other Issuses.pdf
408 2010 U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke Wants Your Social Security Money Huffington Post OCT 6, 2010.pdf 
408A Social Security Alert May 4, 2007 NewsWithViews.pdf


REST AT LINK:  http://www.agriculturedefensecoalition.org/?q=social-security