Very interesting mail I got today from my Congressman...

[kcass1954]

Clay Shaw (R) is my congressman. I'm not thrilled about him, going back to his days as mayor of Ft. Lauderdale. When I came home today, I had a "report" from him. (Aside - since we're paying to prepare, publish and mail this thing, it might be nice if he just sent a letter rather than that glossy, full-color flyer.) I wasn't thrilled to see the back cover, "Support Our Troops".

But on the inside, I saw something promising.

"Strengthen and Protect Social Security

President Bush has said strengthening Social Security will be a top prioroity of his Administration in 2005. As a senior member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, I am committed to strengthening and protecting Social Security.

I will fight for a plan to ensure Social Security meets the needs of today's workers while protecting current benefits - and does not touch one dime of the Social Security Trust Fund, does not cut any benefits for current retirees, does not privatize the program and does not raise taxes."

Now I realize that he's a republican in a heavily democratic county, but I truly hope he's not just blowing smoke up my skirt. I'm afraid that when push comes to shove, he'll go ahead and vote along party lines. I think I'll save this flyer for future reference.

[liberalhistorian]

1. Good for him! And I

sure hope it's genuine on his part. And if he is just blowing smoke and he changes his tune, be sure you've kept the flyer so that you can wave it in his face and remind him.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Good idea

----------------------------------------------------------
Save this nation one town, county, and state at a time!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm#why

[Eric J in MN]

3. Your Congressman described the Bush plan.

Keep benefits the same for people already retired, give those of us still working half as much as we would get without changing the program.

[rhite5]

5. Thanks for the sharp eye, Eric!

Keep benefits the same for people already retired

That's the clue.

It is good to have an early warning about how the Bush plan is going to be framed -- so easy to be misled by the Congressman's glossy report.

[Eric J in MN]

9. You're welcome, and please

contact your Congressperson and both Senators AGAINST ANY CHANGES to Social Security.


PHONE [phone] (Capitol Hill Switchboard), ask to be transferred to the respective office, and leave a message.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Note that he said he won't privatize the program, not that he

won't privatize some of the program.

[Sal Minella]

6. Macbeth WATCHED Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane......

<quote>I will fight for a plan to ensure Social Security meets the needs of today's workers while protecting current benefits - and does not touch one dime of the Social Security Trust Fund, does not cut any benefits for current retirees, does not privatize the program and does not raise taxes."</quote>

Remember....Macbeth was fearless because he was told "no man of woman born" could hurt him -- but Macduff was "from his mother's womb untimely ripped."

"protecting current benefits" ...but not future benefits, eh.

"for current retirees" ... but future retirees better just watch out.

"does not privatize the program" but privatizes only a PART of the program.

Mr. Shaw doesn't need to "fight" for anything. All they need to do is raise the $90,000 cap on amount of salary subject to SS deductions (as it is, Clarence Thomas at $222,200 will have his paychecks go up 6% before the end of May, and Ken Starr at $390 per hour will have his SS obligation all paid in before we're six weeks into 2005.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=227x89>D.U. SS info

[Charlie Brown]

7. Didn't he kill JFK? n/t

[flordehinojos]

8. BEWARE of E. CLAY SHAW.

His heart is as REPUBLICAN as REPUBLICAN can be. He is for the big man. He is not for the little man.,,and that despite the fact that he ....... had some heart problems not too long ago. I usually think of people who have to face their mortality as being able to do some rethinking and rebalancing of their lives. This has not occurred for E. Clay Shaw and for the life of me I can't see why people continue to re-elect him. Was it Gwen Margoles who almost beat him a couple of election cycles ago?