Now that the government shutdown has been avoided, progressives and the democratic left must prepare for an even bigger battle: fighting more austerity budget cuts. The Republican Party, and much of the Democratic Party establishment, including President Obama, have already signaled they will accept a budget deal, a "Grand Bargain" that will drastically cut "entitlements" (i.e., Social Security and Medicare). We must prepare to fight back!
Instead of cutting Social Security, we must expand it, to cover more people. Instead of raising the retirement age to get SS benefits, we should lower it. There is no Social Security "crisis," the trust fund has nearly $3 Trillion, the problem is Congress has stolen part of the surplus to cover other spending. What should be cut is military spending.
The long term national debt can be addressed by cutting military spending, corporate welfare programs, and by RAISING taxes on the corporate rich, like the
"Robin Hood Tax" on Wall Street transactions, and returning to the pre-Reagan top tax rates.
Austerity budget cuts have already cost millions of jobs. The federal government must spend MORE to create jobs, we need a national policy to guarantee
Full Employment (John Conyers has re-introduced the
Humphreys-Hawkins 21st Century Full Employment and Training Act HR 870 to address the jobs crisis)
Government Shutdown Ended, Austerity Drive Lives On
The Government is Open. Now Fight for Just Government Policies
The Coming Debt Ceiling Settlement
It's the Austerity, Stupid: How We Were Sold an Economy-Killing Lie
Deal or No Deal on Shutdown and Debt Ceiling, Biggest Fiscal Policy Crisis Remains
Robin Hood Tax Petition
