TPMDC CREDO
Steny Hoyer
Progressives Petition Hoyer Against Safety Net Cuts
Progressives are escalating their campaign to warn House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer off cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, as he quietly pursues significant deficit reducing legislation with members of both parties. On Thursday, they will deliver 148,000 petitions to his Capitol offices.
"Representative Hoyer is hearing from thousands of Americans letting him know that we will not stand for any back room deal that puts cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits on the table," said Becky Bond, Political Director of CREDO Action, an online advocacy group. "[W]orking with Republicans on a deal which will preemptively cave on cuts to our social safety net is not acceptable from the second most powerful Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CREDO, Deficit, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Steny Hoyer, Taxes
Steny Hoyer
Progressive Advocacy Group Targets Hoyer Over Potential Entitlement Cuts
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) And Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
The online, progressive advocacy group CREDO Action is targeting a top House Democrat and a leading advocate of far-reaching deficit reduction legislation, including both higher taxes and cuts to popular support programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
In a Monday speech, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer revealed that he's working with a bipartisan coalition of House and Senate members to fashion a "grand bargain" on deficits, in the hope of addressing the issue -- and possibly even passing legislation -- before the November elections.
Hoyer's made no secret of the fact that he wants to see significant long-term deficit reduction, in programs that put everything, including entitlements and taxes, on the table. Progressives worry that such entitlement cuts will undermine the integrity of the programs and are warning Hoyer and Democratic members to tread cautiously. The subtext here, and the source of CREDO's leverage, is that Hoyer may -- a big may -- need progressive help in a future leadership fight, if Democrats take the majority, or Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi retires, or another shakeup occurs in the Democratic ranks.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CREDO, Debt, Deficit, Medicaid, Medicare, Nancy Pelosi, Social Security, Steny Hoyer, Taxes
Elizabeth Warren
Number Of Democrats Calling For Warren Recess Appointment More Than Doubles
Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the expenditure of TARP, Elizabeth Warren.
As Republicans have stepped up their attempts to prevent Elizabeth Warren's confirmation as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democrats and progressives are building steam behind their call for President Obama to go around the GOP's obstruction.
In the past week, the number of Democratic lawmakers who have signed a letter calling on Obama to use his recess appointment powers to install Warren at the head of the newly-created CFPB has more than doubled from the 36 who were on the list last week.
The formal announcement of the new number of signatories -- which is expected to include some members of House Democratic leadership -- will come at a Capitol Hill press conference on Thursday. Progressive groups are already calling the amped up recess appointment support a victory for their pro-Warren grassroots organizing efforts.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CREDO, Carolyn Maloney, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Elizabeth Warren, PCCC, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Recess appointments
Deficit
Progressive Groups: Polls Show Deficit Panic Is Republican Illusion
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
A day after House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) confirmed that cuts to Medicare are a part of deficit reduction negotiations, progressives are out with new polling they say shows Democrats falling into a Republican trap.
The fresh numbers from Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota jibe with what national polls have shown in the past: Americans are far more concerned about job creation than they are about deficit reduction. Progressives say that shows Democrats should be leaving the deficit panic to the GOP and getting back to an agenda that protects entitlements and stimulates job growth.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2012 elections, CREDO, Deficit, Democracy for America, Entitlements, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, MoveOn, Ohio, PCCC, Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Medicare/Medicaid
Poll: Voters Ready To Penalize Democrats Who Mess With Medicare
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Voters in key Senate swing states don't want cuts to Medicare and Medicaid benefits -- and they're prepared to exact revenge on politicians who vote in favor of them.
That's according to new Public Policy Polling (D) numbers from Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota, where Democratic Senators face what could be tough reelection fights. The polling, published first by TPM, was sponsored by a coalition of progressive groups.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2012 elections, Amy Klobuchar, CREDO, Claire McCaskill, Democracy for America, Entitlements, Jon Tester, Medicare/Medicaid, MoveOn, PCCC, Polls, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Sherrod Brown
Social Security
New Polling Says Overwhelming Majority Wants Social Security Left Alone
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)
Ask the voters and they'll tell you: Social Security cuts are off the table when it comes to cleaning up the budget mess in Washington.
Fresh polling from Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota published first by TPM show voters in the states overwhelmingly oppose any cuts to the Social Security entitlement program, even in the name of reducing the national debt. The coalition of progressive groups which sponsored the survey say the polls send a clear message to the Democratic Senate incumbents up for reelection in each state: cut Social Security and you'll incur the wrath of an angry electorate.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CREDO, Democracy for America, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, MoveOn, Ohio, PCCC, Polls, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Social Security
Abortion
CREDO To Send Coat Hangers To Pro-Choice Dems Who Voted For Abortion Restriction Amendment
Credo Action Pro-Choice Petition Website
This isn't for the squeamish. It's about as hardball and brutal as it gets.
The liberal group CREDO Action will soon ask over 1,000,000 members to sign a petition condemning the Stupak amendment...and with each signature, CREDO will send a coat hanger to the 20 supposedly pro-choice members of Congress who voted for it.
"We know what happens when women are denied access to reproductive health care including abortion," the petition reads. "And we can't go back to an era of coat hangers and back alley abortions. Reconsider your vote on the Stupak Amendment. Tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that the final health care bill that emerges from the conference committee can't turn the clock back on women's rights."
The email hasn't been sent yet, but you can read the language below the fold.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Abortion, Bart Stupak, CREDO, Health Care, House of Representatives, Stupak amendment
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