Defending the country’s most essential progressive programs — Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security — is one of our top priorities. Our members wrote over 50,000 thank you notes, which we delivered to Senator Harry Reid for taking a stand against attacks on Social Security. Our members also made calls supporting the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Senator Whitehouse’s efforts to protect Medicare and Social Security from budget cuts.
We also went on offense against Republicans and Democrats pushing for devastating benefit cuts. When President Obama put these programs on the chopping block, 200,000 PCCC members pledged not to volunteer or donate to his reelection campaign if he caved and cut benefits — totaling more than $17 million and 2.6 million volunteer hours given in 2008.
Actions to save the safety net:
- PETITION — 200,000 pledged not to volunteer or donate to President Obama’s reelection campaign if he supported benefit cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security.
- CALLS — Thousands of our members called their Representatives, urging them to join the Congressional Progressive Caucus against cuts.
- POLLS — We polled in swing states like Ohio, Missouri, and Montana which showed overwhelming opposition against any cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
- ADS — We launched SocialSecurityProtectors.com and ran TV ads against those leading the attacks on Medicare and Social Security during the 2010 election and beyond, including Senator Lindsey Graham, and Representatives Paul Ryan and Charlie Bass.
- THANK YOU NOTES — Over 50,000 of our members thanked Senator Harry Reid for defending Social Security.
- NEWS — Talking Points Memo: “Progressive Groups To Raise The Spectre Of Ryan Plan During Debates.”
- NEWS — Chicago Sun-Times: “PCCC Delivers 200,000 pledges to Obama Campaign HQ… and Obama Responds.”
- VIDEOS — Our delivery to Senator Reid, and our petition with 200,000 signatures to President Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago:
