Campaign for America’s Future Blasts Super Committee's Plans to Cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security

Washington, DC -- The Campaign for America’s Future today released the following statement by its co-director, Roger Hickey:

“At a time when American’s are demonstrating in cities and towns across the country against growing inequality and the economic damage done by an out of control banking system, leaks from the Super Committee reveal that representatives of both parties are proposing immediate and irresponsible cuts to Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid.

“The undemocratic Super Committee should be focusing how we repair the massive unemployment imposed on the 99 percent of Americans by economic policies designed to favor the top 1 percent of Americans. They should not be sending the bill for this economic devastation to the millions of American who depend (or will depend) on the crucial health care, Social Security systems.

“Leaks reported yesterday indicated that Democrats were proposing at least $200 billion in cuts to Medicare benefits. Today, the Wall Street Journal reports the Democrats also support moving the government to a `chained CPI’ cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) calculation for Social Security. That would shortchange everyone receiving benefits, including people already receiving them.

“The Campaign for America’s Future has helped lead a large coalition of senior groups that has generally been able to prevent President Obama and the mass of Democratic legislators in the House and Senate from embracing conservative cuts to Social Security and other health and safety net programs. But with the latest news, we are once again urging activists to call, fax and email their representatives and Democratic leaders (like Sen. Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi) – and members of the Super Committee – urging them to reject these proposals that would do damage to the bottom 99 percent of Americans – and to the reputation of the party that represents working and middle class people in this country.

“Millionaires and billionaires have had their incomes rise and their tax rates decline – it’s not shared sacrifice to balance taxes on the wealthy with cuts to Medicare, or Social Security or other programs that protect people who need help.

“We urge the Super Committee to send the bill to those that had the party. If they are looking for revenue raisers:
• Tax speculation on Wall Street
• Raise taxes on the millionaires and billionaires and
• Scale back the military budget

“We believe that any plan from the Super Committee should begin with a jobs agenda. Austerity measures should not begin until hard working Americans are able to go back to work.”