CWA 1180 - Political Action

What you can do to help save Social Security
May 2005

"The road to privatization of Social Security runs through New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut,” according to Working Families Party (WFP) executive director Dan Cantor. “There are 16 so-called moderate Republican members of Congress from these three states, and there is no way that Bush and Tom Delay get their way without these northeast Republicans.”

1180, along with the WFP and many others, are organizing a campaign to shore up wavering Democrats and convince moderate Republicans to vote against George Bush’s attempts to privatize Social Security. Local Republican Congressional representatives who are part of the targeted list include Peter King (who represents Nassau and Suffolk counties) and Vito Fossella (who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn).

The WFP is organizing tabling the first Saturday of each month in these two districts to encourage King's and Fossella's constituents to hold their feet to the fire, and the next two dates are June 4 and July 9. Bring a friend or family member, and show up at the designated spot at 10 a.m. for a brief training—at the Muddy Cup coffee house, 388 Van Duzer in Staten Island for Fossella, or at 90 Pennsylvania Ave. in Massapequa for King. Then you'll go out in teams to table outside a post office or shopping center and convince residents to write a hand-written note to their Congressman urging him to save Social Security from Bush's privatization schemes. Call Eva at the WFP, 718-222-3796 ext. 210, for further information.

Of course, half the battle in defeating Bush’s Social Security privatization plan is talking to our friends, family, and co-workers about why it’s important to save our disability and retirement security. The first step is learning how to debunk Bush’s talk of a “crisis” and how cuts and privatization will “cure” it. Come to a free Social Security training led by Ken Peres, CWA's expert on the issue, to learn how to talk the talk, June 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Local 1180 office, 97 Hudson Street, lower level. Please RSVP to Bill Henning at cwabhenning@aol.com or 212-226-6565 ext. 4914.

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