[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE: Greens protest Obama proposals that would dismantle Social Security, public housing

[Green Party of California Updates]

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Monday, May 31, 2010



Greens protest Obama Administration proposals that would dismantle Social
Security, public housing

• Obama is adopting the GOP agenda on privatizing public resources and
services, say Greens

• Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on Social Security,
housing, and related economic topics
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-social-security.php
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-housing.php
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-economic-justice.php

• The Green Party's 2010 Annual National Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, June
24-27 http://greenpartymeeting2010.wordpress.com
Media credentialing page: http://www.gp.org/forms/media
More information: 1-866-41-GREEN, office at gp.org


WASHINGTON, DC -- The Obama Administration's current plans to roll back Social
Security and mortgage off all public housing amount to privatization schemes
to dismantle public services, said Green Party candidates and leaders.

"President Obama is trying to accomplish what Republicans have long dreamed
about -- privatizing public services and resources," said Rick Staggenborg,
MD, Oregon Pacific Green Party candidate for the US Senate
(http://staggenborgforussenate.org).  (Dr. Staggenborg is founder of Soldiers
For Peace International and a member of the Alliance For Democracy National
Council.)

President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is
expected to recommend cutting Social Security for future retirees, and the
president himself has said "everything has to be on the table."  The
commission is stacked with conservatives hostile to Social Security.

As William Greider noted in The Nation, "The Republican co-chair, former
Senator Alan Simpson, is especially nasty; he likes to get laughs by
ridiculing wheezy old folks. Democratic co-chair Erskine Bowles and staff
director Bruce Reed secretly negotiated a partial privatization of Social
Security with Newt Gingrich back when they served in the Clinton White
House..." (May 21, 2010, http://www.thenation.com/article/whacking-old-folks).

Greens dispute the Wall Street propaganda that Social Security's cost has
expanded the deficit and thus requires cuts.  In fact, Social Security's huge
surplus of $2.5 trillion will grow to $4.3 trillion by 2023 and can cover all
benefits until 2040.  Any shortfalls can easily be reversed through a modest
raise in the cap on Social Security contributions from the wealthy.

"Cutting Social Security will force more people to invest in the volatile Wall
Street casino, which would create billions more in profits for financial firms
but wipe out the savings of millions of Americans," said Alfred Molison, Texas
Green candidate for Houston City Council (http://votealfred.com).  "Fiscal
conservatives on Capitol Hill and financial industry lobbyists have long
sought to kill Social Security, a program that has saved millions from
destitution.  They know that Social Security has been both solvent and
popular, so they're using concerns about the deficit, rants about big
government, and legitimate fears about the recent economic meltdown to
persuade the public to accept dangerous Social Security reforms."

See "Bush is Sowing Confusion About Social Security" (Green Party press
release, February 22, 2005, http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2005_02_22.html) and
"Achieving a Leninist Strategy," a 1983 article published by the Cato
Institute that recommends steps to destroy Social Security
(http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj3n2/cj3n2-11.pdf#search='Achieving%20a%20Len/inist%20Strategy').
  See also "Social Security 'reform' doesn't protect the young, hurts us all"
by Joan and Merton Bernstein, May 28, 2010 in The Huffington Post
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-b-carson/social-security-reform-do_b_593313.html).

The Obama Administration's Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
has submitted legislation to Congress (PETRA, the Preservation, Enhancement
and Transformation of Rental Assistance Ac) that would privatize public
housing and allow the new owners to impose 10% above the market rate in the
rental fees for poor tenants, to be covered mainly by taxpayers.  (See a
report on HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan's May 26 statement,
http://www.realestaterama.com/2010/05/26/hud-secretary-donovan-issues-statement-on-hud-effort-to-transform-rental-assistance-ID07208.html)

New owners would also be allowed take out a mortgage for building repair and
maintenance, with no cap on interest rates, which would create more
taxpayer-funded profits for banks.  If the government reduces its assistance
for tenants because of budget cuts and the property goes into foreclosure, the
banks can sell off the property to developers.

"HUD's proposal would quickly become a program to dismantle public housing and
funnel tax dollars to top lending institutions," said Lisa Green, Green
candidate for the California State Assembly 2010, 53rd District
(http://www.votelisagreen.net).  "It will drive up the rent for needy
residents and send many out onto the street.  It would also push up rental
fees for other renters.  We're already seeing efforts by Democrats and
Republicans in municipal office to privatize schools, libraries, parks, public
housing, and other resources for the benefit of real estate companies,
developers, and other wealthy interests who contribute to political campaigns."

"That's why we need loud public protest.  And we need to elect Greens, many of
whom have been fighting privatization schemes at the local level.  Unlike
Democrats and Republicans, Green candidates don't accept corporate campaign
checks," added Ms. Green.

See "HUD is Trying to Privatize and Mortgage Off All of America's Public
Housing" by George Lakoff (Common Dreams, May 21, 2010,
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/05/21-1).

"Like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama is acting in the tradition of Democratic
presidents who've surrendered to the demands of Wall Street by enacting major
planks of the GOP agenda," said Nicholas Ruiz III, PhD, Florida Green
candidate for Congress, District 24
(http://intertheory.org/nriiiforcongress2010.html).  "President Clinton signed
largely conservative, excessively corporatist, Republican legislation into
law: NAFTA, the Welfare Reform Act, the Telecommunications Act, the
Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the anti-gay Defense of
Marriage Act, along with unreasonably large increases in the military budget.
  Mr. Clinton adopted Newt Gingrich's rhetoric about 'big government,' which
means less protection for people and more government handouts for
corporations.  President Obama has already signed an arguably Republican
health care bill into law -- since Obamacare is based on earlier GOP proposals
for mandates.  With the Republicrat duopoly
  fighting for corporations and their royalist aristocracy, that leaves the
Green Party to fight for We The People."


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections
• Green Party Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

The Green Party's 2010 Annual National Meeting, Detroit, Michigan, June 24-27
http://greenpartymeeting2010.wordpress.com
Media credentialing page: http://www.gp.org/forms/media
More information: 1-866-41-GREEN, office at gp.org

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the
United States
Winter 2010 issue now online
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog


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