The Courage Campaign is asking that you do something about the Super Committee. I am asking you to join me.
Why?
Because it's the same battle that Boehner's waging against what the public wants.
I wrote this diary earlier this week, Why Bother Taking Polls, No one in Washington is Listening that showed even though most Americans want to deal with the deficit (and even that is questionable).
But one of the ways that a big majority want to do it is by increasing taxes for households with an annual income of over $250,000 — something that polls have consistently shown is the public preference, even going back to the debate in the lame duck session of Congress on whether the extend the Bush-era tax cuts to all Americans or whether to let them expire for the higher-income earners.
Source
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House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has said he won't pick anyone who would support increasing taxes. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has indicated he's looking for "serious people who put the best interests of the American people and the principles that we've fought for first."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., meanwhile, remarked he's looking for "people who are willing to make hard choices but are not locked in." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asserted those at the negotiating table should "share the values of the American people."
Source
Sound familiar? It's like Debt Ceiling Battle 2.0.
And so, I am sharing this:
Dear Heather,
Remember last weekend when you told President Obama you'd have his back if he invoked the 14th Amendment to raise the debt limit? He did not, so we got this "deal" that creates a "Super Committee" in the Congress that will decide on cuts and ideally tax increases for the wealthy.
Speaker Boehner has sworn not to appoint one member to the committee who supports tax increases. And yesterday, Leader Pelosi said she would not draw lines in the sand around the "Super Committee."
Will you join us in telling Leaders Reid and Pelosi to appoint real progressives to the committee that promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and commit to making the rich pay their fair share?
Without lines in the sand, the "Super Committee" could devastate the future of core progressive programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Three Democrats from the House and three Democrats from the Senate. Imagine who could be on this committee... Democrats from the Progressive Caucus or Blue Dogs who will cave?
Demand real progressives on the "Super Committee" who will refuse cuts to social safety net programs.
Whoever gets on this committee will have tremendous power to affect the federal budget. We have a lot at stake with this "Super Committee." We have to make our claim.
Thanks,
Rick Jacobs
Chair and Founder, Courage Campaign
Demand the what the people want! Let's keep the pressure on because the battle is not over!
Will you join us in telling Leaders Reid and Pelosi to appoint real progressives to the committee that promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and commit to making the rich pay their fair share?
And please check this out this diary I wrote from earlier today, CANstruction - Feeding the Hungry, One Can at a Time - Can you help?, a personal please for help.