Terrible news

According to reports, President Obama is planning $112 billion in Social Security cuts as part of the budget he's announcing next week. There's still time for him to reverse course—but we'll have to push back hard. Can you chip in $5 to help launch a rapid-response campaign to convince President Obama not to cut Social Security? Chip in $5

Dear MoveOn member,

We've just gotten some really bad news—and need your help to respond.

According to multiple reports, President Obama is planning to propose Social Security cuts of $112 billion over the next decade when he unveils his budget next week.¹

Politically, this is a terrible idea. Social Security is such a popular and successful program that even Republicans didn't touch it in their budget.²

And as a policy matter it's even worse. Social Security doesn't add one dime to the debt, and according to the AARP, a typical 80-year-old woman will lose the equivalent of three months worth of food annually under this plan.³

There's still time for President Obama to reverse course and stop supporting these cuts, but that's unlikely to happen unless progressives push back in a big way. We're aiming to raise $200,000 to launch a rapid-response campaign to convince President Obama not to support cutting Social Security. Can you chip in $5?

Yes. I'll chip in $5 to help convince President Obama not to support Social Security benefit cuts.

President Obama knows he can't move forward on his second-term agenda without strong support from the progressive base. So if MoveOn members are vocal in opposing this plan, we have a real chance to change his thinking.

And because House Republicans didn't propose cutting Social Security in their budget, it would likely take cuts off the table for the year if President Obama didn't propose them.

If we have to fight the president on this, we will. But it's going to be a battle. Here's what we have in mind:

• We'll make a major public media announcement to draw attention to the fact that progressives are prepared to split with the president over Social Security cuts.
• We'll help elevate a video ad campaign from Clinton economic adviser Robert Reich.
• We'll run a massive online advertising blast in Washington, D.C., that'll get noticed by members of Congress and the administration itself.
• We'll launch a campaign to flood the White House with phone calls.
• We'll make sure that champions of Social Security in Congress know we have their backs by publicly thanking them and organizing thank-you events in their districts.

MoveOn members overwhelmingly oppose cutting Social Security benefits, but it's never easy to go up against a president we all worked so hard to elect. So please chip in today so we'll know we have the resources to go big: 

Yes. I'll chip in $5 to help convince President Obama not to support Social Security benefit cuts.

Thanks so much for your help. 

–Anna, Manny, Angie, Matt, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Obama Budget Said to Include Earlier Debt Reduction Offer," Bloomberg, April 4, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=288722&id=65434-10220574-eaBb6Zx&t=4

2. "Paul Ryan's Budget, Simplified: Save the Rich, Spare the Old, Forget the Poor," The Atlantic, March 12, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=288723&id=65434-10220574-eaBb6Zx&t=5

3. "AARP to Congress and the President: Don't Cut Social Security," AARP, December 18, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=285712&id=65434-10220574-eaBb6Zx&t=6

Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 7 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

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