We survived the New Year’s “fiscal cliff” with the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which restored the Social Security (OASDI=Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) payroll tax to its pre-2011 rate of 6.2% and suspended the “sequester” (automatic spending cuts) until March 1. Though both Social Security and Medicaid are protected from these automatic cuts, the President and Congress have proposed “entitlement” reform, or cutting our social safety net programs (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), in exchange for tax reform that raises revenues to lower the deficit. For a perspective, see http://www.factcheck.org/2011/02/democrats-deny-social-securitys-red-ink/.
In response, local advocates from Senior and Disability Action (http://sdaction.org/), California Alliance for Retired Americans (http://californiaalliance.org/) and Gray Panthers (http://graypantherssf.igc.org/) organized actions to protect our safety net: Assembly Joint Resolution 7 (http://www.legtrack.com/bill.html?bill=201320140AJR7), town hall meetings, petitions and phone calls to the President and Congressional representatives, etc.
February calendar was full of community organizing events, so we put our learning into immediate action by planning, publicizing, showing up, sharing personal stories, providing information/resources and drawing attention to our messages with lots of energetic singing . . .
#1: Don't TRIP, Get a GRIP!
#2: Great Minds, Need Landlines!
#3: Get a handle, Get a GRIP, It's no fun, WHEN YOU SLIP!
#4: Papa wants a Brand new Phone jack!
#5: You're trippin' If you think I Like slippin'
Excellent local media coverage at http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2013/02/04/supes-call-stronger-sro-safety-measures
February 13: SDA created a new holiday, Happy Valentine's Eve, since Valentine's Day this year fell on the 2nd Thursday of the month when SDA and CARA hold their general meetings.
CARA Legislative Director Hene Kelly belts out, "We are the mighty seniors," while Juicye distributes yellow hats for HAT (Healthcare Action Team) supporters.
Canon Kip Senior Center Case Manager James Powell speaks
SDA Healthcare Organizing Director James Chionsini called Juicye a "one man parade" as he twirled his sign
SDA's fact sheet was conversation starter and consciousness-raising tool
Preparing to serenade Supervisors & Mayor inside City Hall
Gathering outside office of Supervisor London Breed
We personally delivered Valentine greeting cards bundled in manila envelopes to Supervisors David Campos, John Avalos and Eric Mar
Singing San Francisco I'm Coming Home Again:
San Francisco it's city budget time
Gentrification is taking its toll
Supervisors set your priorities
Housing keeps us out of the cold
City budget cuts they got us in a rut
Tell us you won't be the ones to let the doors shut
San Francisco I'm in my home again
Won't be alone again
San Francisco it's city budget time
Aging in place is not a disgrace
People living with disabilities
Use homecare to keep them at home!
Supervisor Jane Kim joined in singing Happy Valentine's Day (eve) to the tune of You Are My Sunshine:
Happy Valentine
We want to stay fine
We want to live and
We want to stay
In our homes
In San Francisco
And we wish you Happy Valentine's Day
(Eve)!
We're here at City Hall
We want to tell you all
What we need to
stay in shape:
Food, housing, healthcare
And of course homecare
Help us have a happy
A Happy Valentine's Day
(Eve)!
February 14: SDA General Meeting featured update on implementation of Affordable Care Act by Rose Auguste of Health Access (http://www.health-access.org/) and free blood pressure screenings.
James Chionsini, who was a former discharge planner/mental health case manager, introduced this wonderful infotainment skit, "It's scary to be discharged on a Friday (without services in place and with no one at home to care for me)" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKRJ2vaxsVk. Know your hospital discharge rights!
While SDA focus is on issues that affect San Francisco, CARA focus is on statewide issues. After lunch at SDA meeting, several of us joined CARA Action Team meeting to plan upcoming Hands Off Our Social Security Town Hall meeting.
Filmmaker Don Goldmacher showed trailer from HEIST: Who Stole the American Dream (http://heist-themovie.com/) about how social security works (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkWib-oW59k)
Occupella (http://www.occupella.org/) led sing-a-long, including this favorite with lyrics by Charlie King to the tune of John Lennon's Imagine:
Imagine you have healthcare, it's easy if you try
Freedom to choose your doctor, coverage money can't buy
Imagine first class treatment when you're unemployed
Freedom to choose your doctor, coverage money can't buy
Imagine first class treatment when you're unemployed
Imagine no insurance, no greedy middleman
No premium, no co-pay, a single payer plan
Imagine a long illness and you don't lose your home
No premium, no co-pay, a single payer plan
Imagine a long illness and you don't lose your home
You may say I'm a dreamer,
I'm not dreaming by myself
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world can live in health
Can you say "Universal?" I wonder if you can
Now try "Comprehensive". Does that sound like a plan?
It's worked for years in Europe, Canada & Japan
Now try "Comprehensive". Does that sound like a plan?
It's worked for years in Europe, Canada & Japan
FDR intended Social Security to be self-supporting, with payroll tax contributions from workers and their employers: "We put those payroll contributions there so as to give the contributors a legal, moral, and political right to collect their pensions and unemployment benefits. With those taxes in there, no damn politician can ever scrap my social security program." (http://www.ssa.gov/history/court.html)
To the tune of God Bless America:
Social Security -- don't privatize
It's our lifeline -- our future
And we won't stand for Wall Street's big lies
There's no crisis. It's not broken
It's been sound for many years
Social Security -- please stop the lies!
Social security -- don't privatize!
Magnificent magnolias in bloom at http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/magnificent-magnolias-2013.html
