USA Debt Crisis? Or not?

From the CPUSA:

The debt ceiling crisis is a manufactured crisis by the corporate extreme right-wing to undermine President Obama and secure an even further shift in wealth to the top few. What happens will impact the crucial 2012 elections. An outcry is needed now.

Attached is a report (Note: click HERE for the report)  to the National Board by Art Perlo on the debt ceiling crisis. A video broadcast with Art is planned for Tuesday, July 19 at 8pm; more details will be sent out later this week.

The deficit crisis is a manufactured crisis. The real crisis is the jobs crisis. and the infrastructure crisis in our country. Tea Party Republicans are holding the country hostage by refusing to agree to raise the debt ceiling by the August 1 deadline unless even more tax cuts are given to the top
and cuts are made to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. This would harm millions of seniors, women, children, low-income and disabled Americans. Members of Congress need to be swamped with messages to save not cut Social Security.

The Tea Party is mobilizing at the grass roots to stop any compromise around the debt ceiling that raises taxes on the super rich.  One example is Ron Paul's Tea Party petition telling Speaker Boehner not to negotiate with President Obama http://www.ronpaul2012.com/pages/debtceilingbetrayal.html?pid=nm1

Labor and progressive allies are busy mobilizing to counter this anti-worker offensive.Here are some great initiatives to circulate and support.

1..
National Call-In Days: July 14-15
Alliance for Retired Americans, the Leadership Conference and Coalition on Human Needs are among organizations hosting a toll free number to call Senators on July 14-15 at 1-866-251-4044.  Voice your opposition to any plans to:

• Cut Social Security’s Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) to reduce the deficit. But Social Security doesn’t contribute a penny to the deficit.
• Raid Social Security by using your contributions to give a tax break to Wall Street banks, Big Oil and other corporations.

Tell your Senators:

• NO cuts to Social Security!
• NO cuts to Social Security’s COLA!
• NO Social Security payroll tax holiday!

The ARA also is urging calls to the White House:
http://www.retiredamericans.org/newsroom/friday-alert-archives/view/2011-07-debt-ceiling-talks-focus-on-social-security-medicare

The Coalition on Human Needs has the following message for the Budget Call-In Days:

We support a budget plan that follows these basic principles.  Any agreement to reduce the  deficit must:

•    Protect millions of vulnerable Americans who rely on federal support to meet their critical needs from the burden of deficit reduction;
•    Rely at least as much on fair revenue increases as on spending cuts;
•    Reject any effort to impose an amendment to the Constitution that would require a balanced budget every year, regardless of the state of the economy; and
•    Protect investments – such as public infrastructure, education and job training – that are vital to our nation’s economic advancement.

2.
Rebuild the Dream house meetings July 17-18
A wide array of labor and progressive organizations are partnering to build a movement to  Rebuild the Dream.  It all starts with house meetings in Congressional Districts across the country this weekend, July 17-18.  MoveOn, Center for Community Change, Campaign for  America's Future, AFSCME, Sierra Club and Leadership Conference are among the sponsors.  If you are not already hosting or attending a house party, you can find one and sign up at
http://civ.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?rc=&action_id=245&adhm.pfaw

The house meetings will help to develop a Contract for the American Dream.  You can give your opinions on-line about what is the most important issue:
http://contract.rebuildthedream.com/

Here is a short video of the kickoff rally of the Rebuild the Dream movement:
http://front.moveon.org/van-jones-americas-founding-dream-is-all-about-equality/

3.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Letter
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is seeking members of Congress to co- sign the letter they submitted to Leader Nancy Pelosi:  You can contact your member of Congress and read the letter here:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/pelosi_debt_ceiling/index2.html?rc=confemail&r_by=23873-668731-Kf1f5mx

4.
Social Security Works
Strengthen Social Security...Don't Cut It, a project of Social Security Works is asking for  signatures on a petition to Speaker Boehner in opposition to any efforts to cut or privatize:
http://strengthensocialsecurity.org/action

5.
National Immigration Law Center
The National Immigration Law Center calls for e-mails to White House. saying that critical safety net programs for low and middle income immigrant and native born families are on the chopping block in the deliberations for a sweeping agreement on the debt limit and deficit. "Eliminating  funding for critical services is an assault on all vulnerable populations, including immigrants, at the expense of giving tax breaks to the wealth and corporations....Tell President Obama and  Vice President Biden that they must protect low-income programs in the negotiations to reduce the deficit.  Insit on fair increases in revenues to prevent reckless cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps and other essential services."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

6.
National Women's Law CenterThe National Women's Law Center petition to President  Obama opposes any cuts or restructuring to Medicaid, which will harm women disproportionately.
https://secure2.convio.net/nwlc/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=669&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr004=jsg57smvd7.app205b

7.
MoveOn
The UAW circulated this on-line petition from MoveOn appealing to Congressional Democrats to pledge that they will not vote to cut Social Security:
http://pol.moveon.org/bad_debt_deal/?id=28665-2928454-JpcpJCx&t=3

8.
Off the Table
Democracy for America asks you to call your Congressperson and then report the results on this site:
http://democracyforamerica.com/activities/572?akid=1068.996077.kyfh3d&rd=1&t=1