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Press Release
Iowans United to Protect Social Security
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Date: May 12, 2005
Iowans United Launches Four Week “Take a Stand Campaign” Calling on Senator Grassley, Representatives Leach, Nussle, and Latham to Attend Town Hall Meetings, Take a Stand For or Against Bush Social Security Plan
Campaign Aimed at Getting Members of Congress on Record on Bush’s Plan to Slash Middle Class Benefits and Privatize Social Security as Legislative Activity Heats up In Washington
Des Moines, IA – Iowans United to Protect Social Security today announced its four week "Take a Stand Campaign" during which it will call on U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and U.S. Reps. Jim Leach, Jim Nussle, and Tom Latham to attend town hall meetings during the Memorial Week Congressional recess (May 27 thru June 6) and take a firm stand, one way of the other, on President Bush’s proposal to slash middle class benefits and privatize Social Security. The campaign officially kicked off this week with letters sent to these members inviting them to attend town hall meetings with their local constituents to discuss the President’s plan and their position for or against it.
President Bush announced his proposal to privatize Social Security in his State of the Union Address more than three months ago and he announced his proposal to slash middle class benefits last month. It is time for every member of Congress to take a stand on the President’s plan," said Iowans United’s Lisa Davis-Cook. "The President’s plan is on the table and members of Congress should say, 'yes or no,' on the President's plan. We don't believe there's popular support for his plan and we don't believe there's support in Congress, and that's why we want these folks to take a stand so we can remove risky, expensive private accounts and steep middle class benefit cuts from the debate once and for all."
Iowans United will work directly with each congressional target to secure a time, location and a format for each town hall meeting. Senator Grassley has been invited to attend any or all of the meetings in the three Congressional Districts. For those who decline or refuse to commit to attending a "Take a Stand" town hall, Iowans United will run intense grassroots campaigns to convince them it is in their best interest to attend. The individual campaigns to convince recalcitrant members to attend will include:
- Massive letter writing, emailing and phoning campaign to the congressional target’s state or district office from constituents demanding attendance
- Letters to the editor
- Press conferences in front of targeted member’s district and state offices
- Press conferences at other events at which the target is in attendance
- Canvassing/literature drops throughout the targeted member’s district/state including his/her own neighborhood
- Delegations of concerned and leading citizens, including local elected officials, schedule meetings with the members and/or a designee to encourage attendance
"In the end, all we are asking these folks to do is what they have been hired to do – meet with their constituents and take a stand on a proposal made by the President of the United States," said Davis-Cook. "It’s that simple."
Sen. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and Rep. Nussle, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, committees which have jurisdiction over Social Security, will receive more intense scrutiny during the Take a Stand Campaign than the other members targeted by Iowans United.
Faces and Voices of Social Security Campaign
FACT SHEETS
Privatization: Fact Vs Fiction
Is the McCrery-Shaw Bill Privatization?
REPORTS
Institute for America’s Future: Rural Communities Rely on Social Security Income Nearly TWICE as Much as Non-Rural Communities
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: Why the President’s Social Security proposals could ultimately lead to the unraveling of Social Security
Institute for America's Future: Privatization = $152,000 Cut in Social Security Checks for Typical Iowan
RESOURCES
Americans United to Protect Social Security
Midwest Academy: The Bush Plan Weakens Social Security
IN THE NEWS
09/30/05, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Public hearing highlights poverty, budget spending
09/29/05, Mason City Globe Gazette: Guest View: Finding Budget 'High Ground'
09/29/05, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Advocates hope to avoid program cuts
09/27/05, Quad City Times: Putting a face on budget plight
09/20/05, Des Moines Register: Hearings planned on cuts to social programs
08/20/05, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Labor group joins protest of Social Security proposal
08/04/05, Washington Evening Journal: Washington stop on Social Security roadshow
07/26/05, Clear Lake Reporter: Social Security Town Hall Discussion to Take Place in Clear Lake
07/06/2005, The Hawk Eye: Group aiming to take stand against Social Security privatization
PRESS RELEASES
02/09/06 - Iowans Call on Nussle to Reject Social Security Cuts and Privatization
8/19/05 - Iowans Celebrate 70 Years of Social Security
8/12/05 - Who Is Ducking? Congressman Jim Nussle on Social Security Privatization
8/3/05 - Rural Iowans to Discuss Effects of Proposed Changes to Social Security
