Poll: 80 Percent Say Don’t Cut Social Security
Congressional Republicans listen up. In a new poll, more than eight in 10 likely voters across the political spectrum say they oppose cutting Social Security to reduce the national deficit. Reducing the deficit through raising the retirement age for Social Security and other cuts are key proposals by the incoming Republican congressional leadership. That finding goes across party lines among those who identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Independents and tea party members.
The poll released today by the Strengthen Social Security campaign showed the cuts are opposed by 83 percent of Democratic respondents, 82 percent of Republicans, 78 percent of Independents and 74 percent of tea party members.
Progressives Set for America’s Future Now Conference, June 7–9
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More than a year into the Obama administration and with November elections just ahead, progressive activists will gather June 7–9 in Washington, D.C., to forge a strategy to build a majority for real change in America.
The America’s Future Now conference, sponsored by the Campaign for America’s Future (CAF), traditionally is the largest gathering of progressives in the country. There’s still time to register for the conference. Register now here or click on the America’s Future Now icon above.
Grassroots activists and policy-wonk analysts have gathered at the campaign’s conferences each year for six years to forge an economic agenda for change—and the organizing strategies for taking that agenda to the country.
Sweeney Receives Lifetime Leadership Award at America’s Future Now!
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The Campaign for America’s Future awarded AFL-CIO President John Sweeney its Lifetime Leadership Award last night in a gala dinner that capped the first two days of the three-day America’s Future Now! conference in Washington, D.C. In presenting the award, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin noted how Sweeney’s commitment to working families began when, working as a caddy at a golf course, the teenage Sweeney organized a work-stoppage for a wage increase.
Hosted by Rep. Donna Edwards (Md.) and the Campaign’s Roger Hickey, the tribute also featured a short video with highlights of Sweeney’s life and events from his years as a union leader—from creating the nationwide Justice for Janitors campaign, while president of SEIU, to spearheading the now 2.5-million member AFL-CIO community affiliate Working America.
Sweeney called his 55 years of service to working families an honor and noted that when he steps down as president in September he does not plan to retire but will carry on as a “union warrior at large.”
I have been privileged to…represent the millions and millions of working families who make our country so extraordinary. Serving working people is the biggest honor anyone could have. I have been so fortunate to do this work—and now what a great future we are facing together.
As Durbin stated, the efforts by the AFL-CIO union movement with Sweeney as leader were critical to the election of President Barack Obama and a host of working family lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate.
