Axioms in GOP politics:
- If Trump accuses someone of something distasteful, it’s because he’s done it himself.
- If the GOP creates a catchy acronym for a bill, it does the exact opposite.
- Never let a national emergency go to waste.
Vote “NO” on the “TRUST Act” and “Yes” on H.R.860/S.269 – “Social Security 2100 Act.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed Thursday that he is using the pandemic as cover to shove Mitt Romney’s stale and duplicious TRUST Act into the proposed Republican coronavirus relief package.
Big picture: The TRUST Act is a ploy by Mitt Romney to gut Social Security with plausible deniability for all involved. The “Time to Rescue United States’ Trusts” Act would create closed-door congressional committees charged with “strengthening” Social Security’s solvency, not ensuring that future retirees have enough income to live on. The GOP members will be focused on one solution – devastating cuts to benefits. Their “solutions” would then be fast-tracked in Congress and not subject to amendment.
The BIG LIE: Trying to destroy Social Security is hardwired into the GOP. They continue to falsely conflate seniors’ earned benefits with national debt, even though the program is self-funded and is not a contributor, unlike the tax breaks the GOP keep giving the wealthy. TRUST Act author Romney: “If you ever want to see a balanced budget, if you ever want to get out of debt, you have to deal with these trust funds or we get into a setting where the cure will be extraordinarily destructive and harmful, where benefits could be cut or taxes would have to skyrocket.” Romney ran his 2012 campaign on a platform of slashing Social Security benefits and when the GOP controlled the House in 2016, Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) proposed a bill to do the same.
Don’t waste a good pandemic!: The TRUST Act (S. 2733/H.R. 4907) is NOT a COVID relief-related bill! It was introduced last October, before the pandemic arrived and it went nowhere, because it’s a bad bill. Yes, Congress has to address the projected shortfall in the Social Security Trust fund in 2035 (after which the program still could pay 80 percent of benefits). Plus, it couldn’t compete with a much better bill…
Which is this one: – H.R.806/S.269 – “Social Security 2100 Act.” This bill would fix the weirdly regressive feature that keeps the wealthy from paying pay the same share of their income as the rest of us – Presently, payroll taxes are not collected on wages over $132,900. The bill also makes benefits better for those most vulnerable. (Explainer here.)
Don’t be stampeded: Former Rep. Barbara Boxer just wrote an op-ed expressing her sorrow for having voted for the completely rogue Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Plenty of Democrats are angry about missing the “tax-break for millionaires” clause the GOP slipped into the huge CARES Act. Let’s not add the death of Social Security and Medicare to the list of regrettable actions taken under pressure.
MAKE THE CALL!
Minimal Script (Call everyone, no matter what they support now!): I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Rep./Sen. [___] to vote “NO” on the GOP’s deceptive [Reps. – H.R. 4907/ Sen. – S. 2733] – “The TRUST Act“ and “YES” on [Reps. – H.R.806/ Sen. – S.269] – “Social Security 2100 Act.”
More script if you want it. I want Rep./Sen. [___] to oppose any mechanism that could cut benefits Social Security or Medicare, ESPECIALLY in the midst of a pandemic.
Supporters of the “Social Security 2100 Act.
- H.R.806 – Social Security 2100 Act: Rep-check here. (Brownley and Carbajal are both cosponsors.)
- S.269 – Social Security 2100 Act: Senator-check here. (Neither Feinstein nor Harris have signed on.)
Democratic supporters of the “TRUST Act.” Ask them to think again!
- H.R.4907 – TRUST Act: Rep-check here. (Reps. Anthony Brindisi (NY), Ed Case (HI), Gilbert Ray Cisneros (CA), Jim Cooper (TN), Kendra Horn (SD), Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Daniel Lipinski (IL), Ben McAdams (UT), Scott Peters, (CA), Harley Rouda (CA), Abigail Spanberger (VA)
- S.2733 – TRUST Act: Senator-check here. (Sens. Doug Jones, Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Warner)
Contact
Rep. Julia Brownley: email, (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
or Rep. Salud Carbajal: email.(CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
Senator Feinstein: email, DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430
and Senator Harris: email, DC (202) 224-3553, LA (310) 231-4494, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 981-9369, SD (619) 239-3884
Who is my representative/senator?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
Sign this petition!
Reject Mitt Romney’s New Plan to Cut Social Security Behind Closed Doors!
Sign petition here. “For 84 years, Social Security has paid out all benefits in full and on time. But, starting in 2035, the Social Security Trust Fund will face a funding shortfall if nothing is done. Democrats have proposed plans to protect and expand Social Security, including the “Social Security 2100 Act,” which would extend the lifespan of the trust fund beyond the year 2100 — paid for by having the rich pay their fair share. Senator Mitt Romney instead has introduced the “TRUST Act” — a fast-track process to cut Social Security benefits behind closed doors. We call on Congress to reject Sen. Romney’s “TRUST Act.” Any debate over the future of Social Security must be done in the light of day where the American people can see it, and the American people’s voices can be heard.”
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 