*** MEDIA ADVISORY FOR NOVEMBER 29, 2012 ***Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington - sage@workingwa.org
As Congress considers making deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security during the holiday season...
Local residents send message to Congress & CEOs: No More Cuts
WEST SEATTLE, BELLEVUE, AND RENTON - Local residents will gather at the West Seattle Junction, Renton Landing, and the Bellevue Square Mall today to spread the word about the brutal cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security currently being considered in the Washington, DC debate over the so-called "fiscal cliff".
Despite a resounding defeat in the November election, 1% corporate leaders are now pushing Congress to pay for new tax cuts with deep budget cuts. In response, the 99% are mobilizing in communities across the region and across the country to make sure we get what we voted for: jobs, not cuts.
This grassroots "no more cuts" campaign comes after 80 CEOs — including the top executives at JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Macy's — signed a recent letter which called on Congress to cut spending on healthcare and retirement security, and cut the tax rates the rich are supposed to pay. The cuts these CEOs are proposing would have grave human and economic impact — a 5% cut to Medicaid, for example, would level a $500 million blow to the state economy, and cost more than 4,000 jobs.
When: TODAY - Thursday, November 29, 2012, 12:00 noon
What: Local residents wave signs and gather signatures on a petition calling on Congress to represent the people and give us jobs, not cuts. Each signature on the petition will result in the delivery of a lump of coal to some of the corporations whose CEOs are trying to grinch away our benefits — at one lump per signature, it will add up to a holiday coal delivery by the shovelful in the weeks ahead.
Where: The CEOs of Chase & Macy's both signed the letter calling for more budget cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs, so we are gathering near Chase & Macy's locations today:
- West Seattle - California Ave SW & SW Alaska St, then proceeding to the Chase Bank branch a block north
- Bellevue - 400 Bellevue Square Mall, proceeding to the Bellevue Macy's
- Renton Landing - 1215 North Landing Way, near the Chase Bank ATM
The campaign against budget cuts kicked off less than a week after Election Day, when more the 8,000 people — including many from Bellevue, Renton, West Seattle, and beyond — joined a tele-town hall with Senator Patty Murray. The Senator heard stories from community members who spoke about the importance of programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and urged her to stand with us against the corporate 1% agenda of tax cuts for the rich and budget cuts for the rest of us.
As the incoming chair of the Senate Budget Committee and the former chair of the Congressional Supercommittee, Senator Murray is a key leader in Congress on budget issues. People across the state and more across the country calling on Congressional leaders to fulfill their commitment to represent us, not the CEOs and their allies in Congress.
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