DNC: White House Moves Disability Benefits to The Chopping Block

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
May 13, 2005

Contact: Karen Finney
202-863-8148

White House Moves Disability Benefits to The Chopping Block

Washington, DC - A day after the chief White House economist admitted that the
Bush plan to privatize Social Security would include cuts to survivor benefits,
the Bush administration also acknowledged that it would not protect disability
benefits despite earlier assurances that these earned benefits would remain
untouched. This is the latest trial balloon in the Bush administration's real
plan to dismantle Social Security. The announcement may help explain why a new
Harris poll found that only 36 percent of Americans think President Bush's
"comments on saving and strengthening Social Security are his real motives for
changing the program, while 49% believe his real agenda is to dismantle it."


"For the second day in a row, the Bush administration has admitted that despite
past assurances, they never intended to protect Social Security disability and
survivor benefits," said DNC spokesman Josh Earnest. "From steep benefit cuts
for the middle class, to risky private accounts, and now no protections for
disability or survivor benefits, it's becoming clearer every day that Bush's
real plan is to dismantle Social Security."

THEN
Bush: Disability Benefits Won't Be Cut. " said he has no plans to cut
benefits for the approximately 40 percent of Social Security recipients who
collect monthly disability and survivor payments as he prepares his plan for
partial privatization."

NOW
Bush Administration Won't Protect Disability Benefits. "Future Social Security
retirement benefits for disabled workers is a matter for negotiations with
Congress as it drafts solvency legislation, the Bush administration said
Thursday, declining to say whether they should be raised, lowered or left
unchanged. 'Any plan that maintains current disability benefits will need to
address the transition to retirement, and those details will be worked out
through the legislative process,' said White House spokesman Trent Duffy." 5/13/05]

**********

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.

[Journeyman]

1. I hope those who are "55 and older" will take note of this. . .

and realize that their benefits, as well, will be sliced if BushCo gets the opportunity to wield the knife. Most aren't falling for it as it is, but tales such as this may help sway those who think this "idea" has merit.

[AndyTiedye]

3. Spell it Out for Them

REPUBLICANS ARE STEALING YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY!!!!

[Journeyman]

4. Well, if you must be subtle, Andy. . .

that'll work, too.

[richmwill]

2. What I hope...

I hope that disabled people in Ohio and Florida who voted for Bush read this. I hope they read it and go into a total "What? Oh no!! But he PROMISED....." mode. Would bring a smile to my face :)

[GetTheRightVote]

5. Wake up America, here is the real truth and it really hurts

:kick:

[Blue Topaz]

6. Trial balloon?

More like a lead balloon. Keep pushing this Dubya; the more you talk about it the lower your numbers go.