SOURCE: www.afge.org
Washington, D.C. . . . AFGE is proud to be the newest member of the multi-organization coalition, Strengthen Social Security. The coalition is united around one premise – to strengthen Social Security, not cut it.
Strengthen Social Security is made up of more than 125 national and state organizations and is united behind seven commonsense principles including: Social Security did not cause the federal deficit and its benefits should not be cut to reduce the deficit; Social Security should not be privatized in whole or in part; Social Security’s retirement age, already scheduled to increase form 65 to 67, should not be raised further; and Social Security’s benefits should not be reduced including by changes to the COLA or the benefit formula.
“Social Security should never be on anyone’s chopping block,” sated AFGE National President John Gage. “We joined the coalition not only because we stand for strengthening Social Security, but because Social Security also is being attacked from the inside-out. Under Commissioner Astrue’s flawed leadership, the SSA has turned its back on its historic legacy by adopting policies that hurt the very people it is supposed to protect. The American people deserve better.”
AFGE joins organizations such as the AFL-CIO, Alliance for Retired Americans, Campaign for America’s Future, Economic Policy Institute and the NAACP in the coalition.