[GPCA Updates] GP RELEASE Greens urge national protest & voters' revolt over deal by Obama & GOP to cut Social Security & Medicare

[Green Party of California Updates]

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

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, July 12, 2011



Greens: Obama has joined the GOP war against working people with his announced
intention to roll back Social Security and Medicare

• Agreement with Republicans would gut key protections for Americans, push
retirement savings in the Wall Street casino, and will mean "work till you
die" for many working people; it's time for the 'Green New Deal' and a voters'
revolt against both parties, say Green Party leaders

• Green Party Speakers Bureau: Greens available to speak on economic justice,
budget policy, and sustainability
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-economic-justice.php
http://www.gp.org/speakers/speakers-economic-sustainability.php

• Green Party's 2011 Annual National Meeting / New York Green Fest, Aug. 5-7
in Alfred, New York  http://nygreenfest.org


WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders warned that President Obama and
Democratic leaders will betray the American people if they agree with
Republicans to cut Social Security and Medicare, and demanded that such cuts
be taken off the table.

The Green Party has challenged bipartisan claims that the deficit, rather than
the recession and job crisis, is the major economic problem facing the US.
Green candidates and leaders have promoted a 'Green New Deal' with an array of
positive solutions for the economy and employment
(http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2010/08/11/62-green-candidates-endorse-green-new-deal).

• Holly Hart, secretary of the Green Party of the United States: "There are
ways other than cutting Social Security and Medicare to end the federal
deficit -- ending the three wars, sharply reducing the military budget,
raising taxes on the wealthy.  A modest raise in the contribution cap for the
highest income brackets would keep Social Security solvent.  Social Security
and Medicare are accounts separate from the federal budget -- they play no
part in the deficit crisis.  But President Obama, compromising with
congressional Republicans and fulfilling his own ambition to 'restructure
entitlements', has signaled his willingness to roll back the protections that
his party passed in the 1930s and 1960s to give working Americans their
financial security and prosperity since the mid 20th century, saving millions
of people from financial destitution.  The President's deal, which we can
count on Democratic leaders in Congress to support, may compel
  people to gamble their retirement savings in the Wall Street casino.  And
pushing back the eligibility age will be a 'work till you die' sentence for
many Americans, including Black people, the poor, and others with
statistically shorter life spans."

• Jason Nabewaniec, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "It's
time for a voters' revolt against both Democrats and Republicans.  President
Obama's compromise shows he has joined the GOP war against working people.
There is no longer any reason to make excuses for Mr. Obama and his fellow
Democrats.  There is no reason to vote for 'the lesser of two evils' if the
lesser evil is so willing to cooperate with the greater evil against the rest
of us.  Two-party politics is more than a flaw in our democracy.  It's a
disaster that can only be solved by removing Democrats and Republicans from
office and replacing them with Green candidates.  Greens accept no corporate
money and are committed to maintaining and strengthening Social Security, and
to expanding Medicare to cover everyone.  Mr. Obama's likely
Social-Security/Medicare deal with the GOP is proof that the Green Party is an
imperative for the 21st century.  If the deal is
  accepted, it will be time for people to gather in protest in Washington, DC,
and throughout the US just as people protested in Wisconsin when Gov. Walker
threatened public sector workers and union organizing rights."

• Farheen Hakeem, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States: "It's no
longer accurate to say we have two parties running the country.  We have a
single party with an extremist wing called the Republican Party and a slightly
less extremist wing called the Democratic Party, both of which have made
service to Wall Street and other powerful corporate elites their top
priority.  Most Americans don't want to see Social Security or Medicare
reduced -- but most Americans don't contribute huge campaign checks.  Unlike
corporations, thanks to the Supreme Court's 'Citizens' United' decision, most
Americans don't run endless campaign ads."

• Howie Hawkins, Green candidate for Common Councillor of Syracuse, New York
and 2010 Green candidate for Governor of New York: "If MoveOn.org and
environmental activist Van Jones believe that America's future should be in
the hands of Democrats, they're as deluded as Tea Partiers who want a
Republican future.  President Obama's planned raid on Social Security and
Medicare tops off the list of capitulations and betrayals since taking office:
escalation of the Afghanistan War and air assaults on Pakistan; a third war,
on Libya, in violation of the War Powers Act; continued warrantless
wiretapping of US citizens, harassment of whistleblowers, and other legal
abuses; plans to build more nuclear power plants, with taxpayers' money, even
in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan; plans for more offshore oil
drilling despite the BP disaster; a health care reform bill designed mainly to
enrich insurance companies, with mandates to purchase private
  coverage and no reductions in medical costs; embrace of the myth of 'clean
coal' and no interference in destructive, poisonous mountaintop removal
mining...  The list goes on and on, even surpassing President Clinton's
fulfillment of GOP agenda."

• George Carlin, nonpartisan comedian and social critic (1937-2008): "The word
bipartisan means some larger-than-usual deception is being carried out."


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Ballot Access Page http://www.gp.org/ballotstatus
• Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus
• Video Page http://www.gp.org/video/index.php

Green Party's 2011 Annual National Meeting / New York Green Fest
http://nygreenfest.org
• Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Green-Fest/71141014224
• Alfred University http://www.alfred.edu
• Green Party of New York State http://www.web.gpnys.com
• Directions http://nygreenfest.org/directions.html
• Green Party Annual National Meeting Committee
http://www.gp.org/committees/anmc/index.php

"Trumka: Social Security Cuts Should Not Be on the Table"
AFL-CIO Blog, July 7, 2011
http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/07/07/trumka-social-security-cuts-should-not-be-on-the-table/

"Breaking Point: Obama and the Death of the Democratic Party"
By Jane Hamsher, FireDogLake, July 8, 2011
http://firedoglake.com/2011/07/07/the-breaking-point/
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/07/08-3

GreenStream Live: News and discussion on the Green Party's Livestream channel
http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

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


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