February 23, 2014
Retirees Stand Up for Our Kids and Grandkids
In the photo, Zen Biasco makes his point
On February 19, Texas Alliance for Retired Americans activists joined a downtown Dallas demonstration in favor of increasing the minimum wage. The newspersons asked me in front of TV cameras why older Americans would care. I told them that we were standing up for our children and grandchildren. The more money our children make, the more solvent Social Security and other benefits will be, too. We seniors want to see a successful America, and we wouldn’t be doing that if we ignored the younger folks.
Two Hats Publications shot their own 16 minute video of the event. It includes interviews with Brother Morris Fried of Richardson, Texas, and my interview with ABC news. See http://youtu.be/PmWqX5K0qW4
The new TV newsperson, Joangel Concepcion, interviewed me for FOX news. The interview was pretty good, but they went way out of their way to dig up some crusty old professor who told them what they wanted to say, that raising the minimum wage is not good for [rich] Americans. See http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/24769864/workers-in-dallas-push-for-minimum-wage-increase?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9860230#.UwVjDH9ith0.facebook.
That same day, we received terrific news from the national Alliance for Retired Americans. Our effort to keep the “chained CPI” out of the President’s budget proposal had paid off. The proposal, which was in an earlier budget that didn’t pass, would have slowly squeezed Social Security payments downward, year by year. We were overjoyed that it wasn’t in the new budget proposal, and we can’t help but feel a little bit proud that our nationwide efforts are helping. Join us and let’s make this a better world for young and old!
This is what national sent us:
Seniors Celebrate Removal of Chained CPI Social Security Cut from President Obama’s Budget
The following statement was issued today by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans:
“We are thrilled with reports that President Obama heard Alliance members from across the country and removed the chained CPI cut to Social Security and other programs from his 2015 budget.
“Our voices were heard. Nationwide, grassroots actions and people-powered politics worked. We applaud the President for doing the right thing: listening and keeping this unjust cut out of his budget proposal. A negotiating tactic or not, cuts to Social Security’s earned benefits will only serve to increase income inequality and hurt the most vulnerable members of our society.
“Now that the pesky chained CPI is out of the way, we can focus on the real task at hand, articulated well by members of Congress like Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), as well as Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), which is to expand Social Security so that it fits the retirement security needs of today.
“The Alliance for Retired Americans made eliminating the chained CPI our top priority of the past year. We held dozens of “Human Chain” events with thousands of Alliance members all across the country, and are elated that they paid off. To see more on those efforts, go to http://retiredamerica.wpengine.com/state-by-state/Human_Chain.
“The 4 million members of the Alliance for Retired Americans, together with our allies, will continue to do our part to educate, advocate and mobilize for retirement security for Americans who work hard and should be able to count on a secure retirement. We thank President Obama for listening to us.”
–Gene Lantz, President
PLEASE contribute any amount to Texas Alliance for Retired Americans by clicking here.
We’re also still gathering petitions for health care implementation in Texas. Sign our petition at:
http://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4055/c/1254/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4684
Contact Gene Lantz at labordallas@sbcglobal.net
Judy Bryant at 214-729-0063
facebook: Texas Alliance for Retired Americans
Twitter: @Tx4TARA