DO IT NOW DOSSIER: Petition to the Super Committee to Exclude Social Security from a Deficit-Reduction Deal

Petition to the Super Committee to Exclude Social Security from a Deficit-Reduction Deal

When the debt deal passed August 2, it created a Joint Committee of Congress—a “Super Committee”—charged with reducing the deficit by another $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction.

Our worst fears have been realized – that this Super Committee is likely to put a big bulls-eye on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Super Committee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) has even called Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid “cruel Ponzi schemes.”

Our research team has already pulled together the voting records and statements of all 12 Super Committee members. At least six of them are in favor of deep cuts to Social Security (most, if not all of these six, want to privatize the program), ending Medicare as we know it, cutting $1.4 trillion from Medicaid and continuing the Bush tax cuts for the richest Americans. We can’t afford to lose even 1 out of the remaining 6 votes between now and November 23 when the Super Committee must report out its plan.

We can win this critical fight. But we need you to be involved. So please sign our petition today and pass it on to your family and friends.

As members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, commonly known as the “Super Committee,” your charge is to reduce the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion. However, Social Security does not contribute a penny to the deficit. Therefore, it should not be considered as a part of any deal to reduce the deficit.

Social Security should not be raided and used as a piggybank to continue lower tax rates for the wealthy and tax breaks for corporations. Social Security belongs to people like me who contribute to it – not to politicians in Washington.