Todd Akin's Dangerous Plans for Social Security

h/t Fired Up Missouri (on Twitter)

See also: the Roll Call story.

Missouri Todd Akin Establishes New Olympic Record for Inserting His Foot in His Mouth

On Todd Akin's first day as the official Republican Senate candidate in Missouri, he made sure to remind people that he hates Medicare and wants to privatize Social Security.

Transcript via the McCaskill campaign from Akin's KCMO interview:

AKIN: Well, I think what we need to do is, what we have to do with Medicare is... It's a typically flawed, big government solution. In Medicare you have got the government setting prices for things. Anytime the government sets any price for anything you've got trouble. You need to have that done in the marketplace. So, first thing off I think you want to get rid of all of those government set prices for healthcare things and allow people to just bid on that business. So, people that are in Medicare will have the opportunity to choose somebody that's going to provide services for them and they can choose between different things, different providers. So, if somebody doesn't do a good job for you, boom, you move to something else. So, that's one of the first things that's in Medicare that's got to be done is to get rid of all the government price setting.

KNAPP: Are you still looking to partially privatize [Social Security]?

AKIN: Well, I think the first thing in Social Security, I don't know if you'd call this privatizing, I think, and this is where I think FDR was cheating on this system, that would be if you put money, and your employer puts money into Social Security for your retirement, why should that be in a little account that you can see the money and watch it grow? Why should be just take that money and spend it on general, all kinds of things that the government wants to spend money on it. We're spending other people’s retirement. Why shouldn't that money go into some account? Maybe it's held by the government; maybe you can’t get your hands on it very easily. But at least the money should go into your account instead of just sort of disappearing in the vapors as big government boys want to spend it all now and forget about what's going to happen tomorrow.

Why yes, you would call that privatizing. Please keep talking Todd.

As a reminder, here's video of Akin saying he doesn't "like" Social Security. And he's not just talking about the facebook group.

Todd Akin Refusing to Meet With Constituents About Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security

Message from Jobs with Justice:

Come join us at a community townhall meeting with Congressman Todd Akin.

After weeks of outreach and requests for meetings, Congressman Todd Akin still refuses to meet with his constituents and community about our concerns regarding Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. In the meantime, he has continued to take votes that would drastically cut those programs and cost Missouri jobs.
But we want to ask him, "Rep. Akin, Whose side are you on?"

So Missouri Jobs with Justice and allies have asked him to join us at a community townhall meeting just one block from his office.

The event will be Wednesday, August 24, 4pm at 300 Weidman Rd, Ballwin, MO 63011.

Rally At Roy Blunt's Office To Save Social Security and Medicare

Hundreds of activists gathered on Thursday outside of Roy Blunt's office to tell the Senator that Missourians don't want budget issues to be used as a cheap excuse to push through the Republicans' dream of cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Polls have consistently shown that people overwhelmingly support keeping the social safety net in place and are in favor of allowing tax breaks for the uber-wealthy to expire. That is the responsible way to balance the budget.

Here are some photos from the rally taken by activist Brenda Ringo:


A press advisory for the event (I changed the tense):

ST. LOUIS – As Congress works to balance the budget and reduce the deficit, hundreds of Missourians rallied Thursday at 4:30 p.m. outside of Senator Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) Clayton office to tell him how his commitment to protect Corporate America and the wealthiest Americans will harm his constituents across the state of Missouri. Senator Blunt has publicly stated that he will not support measures to raise the revenue in order to confront budgetary issues; including closing corporate tax loopholes and increasing taxes on millionaires. Instead, he continues to support plans that will drastically cut funding to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and federal workers that provide critical services to Americans.

Senator Blunt stated that ending tax breaks and closing loopholes would not be fair to those who rely on them. Thursday, Missourians had a chance to reply to Senator Blunt with their message about what “fair” means to average Missouri citizens. Monica Williams, a Paraquad Community Advocate, spoke about how Medicaid is her lifeline to freedom and independence in the community since it provides her personal care attendant. “Medicaid enables me to go to work and be a productive citizen” she stated. “Taking away my opportunity to live independently and work in the community is not fair.”

Others spoke about how cutting critical programs will harm the seniors, people with disabilities, and working- and middle-class families that rely on them. Reverend Susan Sneed of Metropolitan Congregations United stated “balancing the federal budget on the backs of vulnerable Americans is never the answer. We promised our seniors that if they pay their taxes and paid into Social Security and Medicare, these programs would be there for them when they needed them. Rather than cutting critical programs, we must look for balanced budget solutions that uphold our American values, require all individuals and corporations to contribute their fair share, and ensure that all Americans have access to the basic services they need.”

Attendees signed a petition to Missouri’s Senators that states, "We urge you to stand strong and protect Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and the federal workers who deliver our essential services. A cut to our federal budget and workforce is a cut to Missouri. We have sacrificed enough. Now, we urge you to raise revenues. It's time for the rich and big corporations to pay their fair share. We do not accept that there have to be spending caps, cuts to essential services or balanced budget amendments."

"It is absolutely critical that our efforts to reduce the deficit are balanced solutions that include new revenue,” said Kirsten Dunham of Paraquad. "We are very concerned that Congress will try to impose global spending caps or a balanced budget amendment that may sound good on the surface, but which over time would require drastically cutting Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and other services that Americans value."

Organizers of the rally were the American Federation of Government Employees, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Metropolitan Congregations United, Missouri Health Care for All, Missouri Budget Project, GRO - Grass Roots Organizing, Missouri Pro-Vote, the Alliance of Retired Americans, Paraquad and the Disability Coalition on Health Care Reform. Representatives from each organization delivered the petition to Senator Blunt's staff during the rally.

Hotflash at Show Me Progress has more from the rally, including this great video of leaders sharing their concerns with with Blunt's staff:

Carnahan Pushing Back Against Paul Ryan's Plan to End Medicare As We Know It

Glad that Russ Carnahan is actively pushing back against Paul Ryan's budget plan which calls for privatizing Medicare:

RUSS CARNAHAN TO VISIT BETHESDA TERRACE INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER

Carnahan will give a brief update regarding Medicare and answer questions from residents

(St. Louis, MO) – This Tuesday, June 21 at 10:30 a.m. Central Time, Rep. Russ Carnahan will speak to residents of the Bethesda Terrace Independent Living Center regarding the upcoming congressional budget proposals and how we can get our debt under control without ending Medicare and scapegoating our seniors.

Carnahan will discuss how Republican budget proposals will affect seniors, and will reaffirm his efforts to prevent deep cuts to the programs seniors rely on.

“I am working hard every day with the help of my Senior Advisory Panel to protect Social Security, strengthen and improve Medicare, and defend programs vital to our seniors,” Carnahan said. “Instead of scapegoating seniors, we should look first at cuts to taxpayer giveaways for oil companies and giant corporations who ship jobs overseas.”

Broad Coalition of Missourians Call on Senator McCaskill to Protect Critical Services, Health, & Retirement Programs (PHOTOS)

From the press release:

ST. LOUIS – As Congress works to balance the budget and reduce the deficit, hundreds of Missourians rallied today in front of Senator Claire McCaskill's (D-MO) office to urge her to protect Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and workers who provide services that are critical to the safety and well-being of Americans. During the rally, Senator McCaskill met with representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Paraquad, Missouri Budget Project, Metropolitan Congregations United, GRO-Grass Roots Organizing, Missouri Health Care for All, and Missouri Pro-Vote.

At the rally the Reverend Susan Sneed of Metropolitan Congregations United spoke of the importance of Medicare to her efforts to provide care for her elderly mother, stating that “balancing the federal budget on the backs of vulnerable Americans is never the answer. We promised our seniors that if they their taxes and paid into Social Security and Medicare, these programs would be there for them when they needed them. Rather than cutting critical programs, we must look for balanced budget solutions that uphold our American values, require all individuals and corporations to contribute their fair share, and ensure that all Americans have access to the basic services they need.” Monica Williams of Paraquad went on to add that Medicaid is her life line to independence since it provides her personal care attendant.

"It is absolutely critical that our efforts to reduce the deficit are balanced solutions that include new revenue,” said Ruth Ehresman of the Missouri Budget Project. "We are very concerned that Congress will try to impose global spending caps or a balanced budget amendment that may sound good on the surface, but which over time would require drastically cutting Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and other services that Americans value."

The general public was asked to sign a petition to Missouri’s Senators that read, "We urge you to stand strong and protect Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and the federal workers who deliver our essential services. A cut to our federal budget and workforce is a cut to Missouri. We have sacrificed enough. Now, we urge you to raise revenues. It's time for the rich and big corporations to pay their fair share. We do not accept that there have to be spending caps, cuts to essential services or balanced budget amendments."

Organizers of the rally were the American Federation of Government Employees, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Metropolitan Congregations United, Missouri Health Care for All, Missouri Budget Project, GRO - Grass Roots Organizing, Missouri Pro-Vote, Paraquad and the Disability Coalition on Health Care Reform.

Important Rally at Senator McCaskill's Office Friday to Protect the Federal Budget

The main weakness of Todd Akin and Sarah Steelman is that they will be forced by extremists in the Republican Party to demand cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and other programs that people rely on for their well-being. But this is only a weakness if Senator McCaskill stands up for these programs and the wishes of the vast majority of the population. So this rally I just heard about sounds like a great idea:

We are rallying to persuade Senator McCaskill to meet with community stakeholders regarding the current proposed federal budget.

Friday, June 17 4-5 pm Senator McCaskill's office 5850 Delmar Ave., St. Louis 63112

The current proposed federal budget has massive cuts to vital federal public services, programs including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and to public employee wages. We must fight to protect critical health and retirement programs.

This event is sponsored by Missouri Jobs with Justice, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Missouri Health Care for All, Missouri Pro-Vote, The Missouri Budget Project, and Metropolitan Congregations United.

We will ask Senator McCaskill to oppose any legislation that will continue tax breaks for the very rich and big corporations at the expense of federal workers and the services they provide. Missouri's veterans, farmers, and working families depend on government services, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and others. A cut to the federal budget and workforce is a cut to Missouri! Join us in asking Senator McCaskill to stand strong against the proposed cuts to Federal Services!

Bring your friends, neighbors, family and co-workers - people you know who benefit from Federal programs

If you can't make the rally, you can send McCaskill a message here.

Sarah Steelman Afraid To Endorse Paul Ryan's Extremist Plan

Fired Up Missouri has a post up that indicates that Sarah Steelman might be getting nervous about the massive unpopularity of Republican Paul Ryan's plan to eliminate Medicare as we know it. Not only is Steelman afraid to endorse Ryan's plan, she also comments that she's specifically concerned about Medicare. Check out her comments:

I think it’s important for people to understand that we need to protect what our commitments are today and honor those and look at look at how we can reform these programs in the future. Because these people did pay into Medicare.

Most people are thinking that Paul Ryan's plan is going to be damaging to Republicans in 2012, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out in Republican primaries, especially considering that Akin has bragged about helping to craft the plan.

Social Security Privatization Group Buying Ads for Ed Martin

Ed Martin previously said he was a big fan of the Paul Ryan plan, which called for the privatization of social security. Since that time, Martin has denied that he supported privatization. Funny then, that a pro-privatization group has been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to run attack ads against Martin's opponent, Congressman Russ Carnhan:

A special interest group with a long history of pushing for privatization of Social Security is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash to further that goal by helping the campaign of fellow-privatization supporter Ed Martin.

NFIB, a business group that actively campaigned for President Bush's Social Security privatization scheme, is trying to influence the election with misleading attack ads because they know Russ Carnahan will fight to block their efforts to privatize Social Security.

"We cannot let Ed Martin hand over Missouri seniors' Social Security to the same Wall Street bankers that nearly ruined our economy just a couple years ago," said Angela Guyadeen, Communications Director for the Russ Carnahan in Congress campaign. "If Ed Martin really cared about Missouri seniors, he would tell NFIB he's not interested in the support of a group that backs privatization. But given his track record, it's pretty clear Ed will do just about anything for his own benefit at the expense of others. Three years ago, it was Missouri taxpayers who paid the price. We can't let Missouri seniors suffer the same fate."

Obviously, privatizing one of the most important social safety nets we have in this country would result in disastrous consequences. Get the full details here.

Blunt's Staff Hides From Seniors Asking Questions about Social Security and Medicare (VIDEO)

Roy Blunt has said that it would have been best if Medicare never existed. Blunt also supported George Bush's push to privatize social security. A group of seniors recently went to his office recently to ask questions and share concerns. The office staff refused to listen to the group before calling the police to remove them from the building: