Americans Tell Congress: Work Together to Create Jobs, Not Crisis
President Obama asked America to let Congress know what they think about the Republican manufactured default crisis. And they are – in overwhelming numbers.
The message is clear: Leaders must come together to make sure our nation pays its bills, create jobs, and protect Medicare and Social Security.
House Democrats support the President’s efforts to find common ground to do just this. Yet Republican leaders continue to refuse to compromise, jeopardizing the pensions, 401(k)s and savings of Americans to pass an ideological agenda.
The letters, calls, tweets and Facebook responses received by Members of Congress also make it clear the President was right that this is about what’s fair.
Most Americans don’t understand how we can ask seniors to pay more for Medicare before we ask corporate jet owners and oil companies to give up their billions in tax breaks. And most Americans don’t understand how we can ask a student to pay more for college before we ask hedge fund managers to stop paying taxes at a lower rate than their secretaries. Americans want fairness – and the Republican plans for dealing with our debt simply aren’t fair.
Here’s what some Americans are telling Congress:
Tucson NBC affiliate KOVA video:
Inside [Congressman Raul] Grijalva's office, District Director Ruben Reyes says phone calls are up.
Reyes says, "The last tally, which was about an hour and a half ago, was 40 calls to 1. It has been overwhelmingly in support for the Congressman's stances on raising the debt ceiling, protecting Social Security, protecting Medicare and protecting those programs for our elderly."
Response to Rep. Silvestre Reyes’s Facebook post:
“I am a Combat vet. dont let our Benefits w VA & SS b delayed!!”
Response to Rep. Timothy Bishop’s Facebook post:
“Yes - thank you. People are so angry. What will happen to all the money I paid into Social Security all these years?”
Response to Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s Facebook post:
“I have been contributing to SS for nearly 50 years. At minimum, if SS is to be cut, I want my money back plus appropriate interest.”
Constituent letter to Rep. John B. Larson:
I have worked hard all my life to save money for when I got old. Half of my life savings are in U.S. Treasury Bonds. If the Government defaults, am I going to lose half of my life savings? If the Government defaults, will the value of my other savings plummet? Will I be in the street begging for money? The highest tax rate before Reagan was I believe 72%, now it is 32%. If lower taxes were a driver in the economy, it would be booming now.
