If you can't make the noon rally, sign Alan Grayson's pledge.

If you can't make the noon rally, then sign Grayson's pledge telling the president no cuts to medicare, medicaid or social security.


From the press release:

Dear Friend,

Former Congressman Alan Grayson is taking a clear stand against cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The Right Wing is doing everything it can to dismantle the American dream. We need a REAL Congressman with Guts, like Alan Grayson, to fight back.

That's why I signed Alan Grayson's petition, with one simple message: NO CUTS!:

http://www.No-Cuts.com

If we can collect 100,000 signatures, then Alan will deliver the petition to the White House personally.

So join me, by signing here:

http://www.No-Cuts.com

Noon rally at various congressional reps offices today....

Toomey and all republican congresspeople are a waste of time. I'm not sure what Senator Casey will do. My guess is that he would back something like the Reid plan, no social security cuts but creates a basis for them in the future with a second catfood commission.

I've received alerts from a number of organizations about a rally at noon. Yes I know this is late but better late than never.

Join thousands of others across the country TODAY, July 26, at noon (local time) at your Congress member’s nearest district office. To find the closest office to you click here.

M

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: Noon
Date: Mon, 25 July 2011, 3:48pm
From: Melinda - Health Care for America Now

Dear Friend,

In an astonishing display of reckless partisanship, House Speaker John Boehner walked away from debt-ceiling talks at the last minute. Boehner aims to appease the Tea Party fanatics in Congress and special-interest campaign contributors, who increasingly suppress his better instincts to do the right thing. It's now abundantly clear that the Republicans are willing to drive our economy off a cliff rather than ask millionaires, billionaires and the big corporations to pay their fair share.

We’ve got to put a stop to this madness. Health Care for America Now is joining MoveOn.org and other leaders of the American Dream movement to ask people to show up outside Member of Congress’s offices on Tuesday at noon to deliver a crucial message: "Don't destroy the American Dream."

Join thousands of others across the country tomorrow, Tuesday, July 26, at noon (local time) at your Congress member’s nearest district office.

Yes, I’ll be there on Tuesday!

When the Republicans walked away from what appeared to be an imminent bipartisan deal, they threw the economy, the international markets, seniors and middle-class families under the bus. They showed us they're willing to default on Americans' financial obligations and to default on the American Dream, which is made possible by programs like Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, college aid and much more.

This is a moment when progressives need to come together to show our strength and let our boldest leaders know that we're with them. And we need to hold the extremists accountable for their willingness to create an economic crisis because they want to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for tax cuts for the super-rich.

Tomorrow, stand up against the extremists in Congress who have engaged in political brinkmanship on steroids to protect tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations.


In Solidarity,
Melinda Gibson

Mike Doyle still hasn't signed the pledge...

Not good. Mike Doyle still hasn't signed a letter opposing all Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefit cuts...He was a no show at a very well attended public meeting organized by my old employers One Pittsburgh.


I received this from Bold Progressives.

---

Philip,

We're making progress! Thanks to our grassroots phone calls, the number of House members who signed the Progressive Caucus letter opposing any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits has jumped from 2 to 80! But Representative Mike Doyle has not signed yet, and the situation is urgent.

Negotiations are happening this weekend, and we need to show that Democrats in the House won't pass a deal that cuts benefits. Can you call Rep. Doyle now and tell him to sign the letter? Click here for the phone number and a short script.

We have the momentum -- and with your help, we'll keep it up by having Rep. Doyle fighting on our side. Thanks for being a bold progressive.

-- Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Jason Rosenbaum, Michael Snook, and the PCCC team

P.S. If you'd like to reward Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Keith Ellison and Raul Grijalva for leading this fight, click here to chip in $3 to their campaigns.

Toon that explains the problem with the debt negotiations. Giving the GOP real attack ads...

Something you can do from Firedoglake....

The debt negotiations are going horribly...here's something you can do...


Over 2000 people have already signed up to visit the office of their Senator or Representative tomorrow. Because elites of both parties are dead-set on doing this, and grassroots opposition is the only way we’re going to make an impact.
Face-to-face meetings are the way to make it real. You can show up any time of day tomorrow, just for 5 minutes, let them know in no uncertain terms how you feel about their plans to cut these critical programs at a time of economic hardship.
The President lectures progressives on Friday about how we should all care about the nation’s fiscal health. We do. We know that they don’t need “tweaking.” The President then went on to say that he supported the cuts recommended by the Catfood Commission, which included cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits, but as Commander-in-Chief he couldn’t support their cuts to defense.
Someone should tell the President that if he wants to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits before defense spending, he’s not in any position to be giving advice to progressives.
Will you take time to go visit the office of your member of Congress or Senator tomorrow, and remind them that the American people overwhelmingly oppose cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits, and that you will will not support them in 2012 if they take part in doing that?

Guess I've found something new to canvass on: Tell Obama no to social security cuts.

MoveOn already has a campaign you can sign onto. Yes, this is a monumentally bad idea.

Dear Philip,

BREAKING: Reports say the president just offered to cut Social Security benefits, if Republicans agree not to let the U.S. default on its debts.¹

It's his offering to the out-of-control Republicans, who are threatening to crash the economy in order to ram through savage cuts to crucial government programs.

It's sickening to think that millions of seniors would have to sacrifice in order to appease Republican hostage-takers. Especially because every poll shows overwhelming majority of Americans support raising taxes on the rich and protecting Social Security and Medicare.²

But there's still time to stop this "bargain" in its tracks. Whatever deal the president offers Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass Congress. So we need Democrats in Congress to stand strong and oppose any benefit cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

Can you sign our emergency petition to Democrats in Congress and tell them to stand up and tell the President they will not vote for Social Security and Medicare benefits cuts?

Add your name here.

President Obama is making a huge mistake that will cost our country dearly.

This is one of those moments where we either stand up and demand that the Democrats in Congress show a real spine. Or we sit back and watch the Republicans destroy decades' worth of progress.

Will you help send a message demanding that Democrats draw a clear line in the sand: no cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits? Click here to add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/bad_debt_deal/?id=28665-3053238-JjgC2kx&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Daniel, Wes, Elena, Julia, and the rest of the team

Source: 

1. "In Debt Talks, Obama Offers Social Security Cuts," The Washington Post, July 6, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=210871&id=28665-3053238-JjgC2kx&t=5

2. "Poll: To Reduce Deficit, Most Americans say Tax the Rich More," CBS News, January 3, 2011
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20027036-503544.html

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Sorry for the long delay...

...my tenure at One Pittsburgh ended about a week ago.  I was appreciative of the opportunity but that needs to be a full time canvass to make a dent in state or fed politics. More on that later. I even have some pictures which I'll post later.