Why I won't vote for Adam Smith, D-WA based on his stance on Social Security

[oxymoron]

I have voted for him for years. I visited his website and was quite disturbed by his comments on Social Security: http://adamsmith.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=4460

I called his office and reminded him that the Baby Boomer's have approximately 3 trillion dollars in trust, and is fine until 2037. I received a letter back from him today.

An excerpt: "Since 1983, Social Security revenues have exceeded benefits every year, creating a surplus. Unfortunately, these surpluses will be of no help in solving the problem because all of the surplus money has been spent on other federal programs.. By 2018 the government, having borrowed all of the Social Security Surplus money, will technically owe Social Security that money back plus interest, but the government doesn't have the money. Any such payments would simply have to come out of the hide of the rest of the budget, a budget already overburdened by debt. It is true that the trust fund will have IOUs in the form of Treasury bills that can be "cashed out," but that would require borrowing money from the federal budget to repay these loans, thus further exploding the national debt."

So Baby Boomer's, you are out of luck. The SS you paid for just can't be paid back because of the deficit.

Sorry, Adam. I want that 3 trillion back.

You've lost my vote this year.

[regnaD kciN]

1. So, you'd rather have a Republican House...?

I'm sure they'll protect your Social Security... :banghead:

[oxymoron]

2. No, I would prefer to be able to sleep at night.

[eridani]

7. Republicans controlling Congress disturbs my sleep a lot more

Look--the left has just got to get more professional and run EFFECTIVE primary challenges against Dems who are inadequate. Anyting else is just dropping out.

[Upton]

3. delete

[quiller4]

4. Is it his truth telling that bothers you? Nowhere in the piece does he

suggest cutting Social Security. In dealing with solvency issues he emphasizes increasing Social Security and Medicare revenues. He also talks about the need for individuals to have private retirement plans in addition to Social Security. What is to argue with there?

[oxymoron]

6. He is very clear that changes need to be made to SS on his website.

Here is he saying that all the middle class people that paid for the 3 Trillion SS surplus that is held in T bills, will not be paid back. Basically he wants the middle class to pay for the deficit. His only other suggestion was 401ks. WTF is wrong with raising the income cap to say, $250,000?

[Jax]

5. Totally understand

Feeling the same way about Larsen since his bullshit bankruptcy vote and his inheritance give away to his right wing pal Gigi Burke. She is a rethug but he kisses her rich butt when he can.

The 'so you prefer republicans' is so childish and lame. I prefer Democrats to vote like Democrats, not rethugs. When they show their rethug colors, they do not get my vote.

Agree about sleeping at night.

My right wing teacher union hating State Senator with a 'D' by his name sent out fliers showing that the racist Chamber of Commerce endorsed him and he openly bashed Teachers. He will not get our vote either.

He is a complete right wing corporate tool, aka a rethuglican with a 'd' by his name.

[eridani]

9. This is equivalent to not voting

I can't agree with what amounts to effective abstention from the election, because even conservative Dems belong almost to a different political species than even the most liberal Republican.






Above are four pictures of graphs comparing the two parties on environmental issues (ratings of WA State legislature for 2008) and retiree issues (ratings of the 2005 House and Senate by ARA). There is NO overlap whatsoever, with the single exception of Jeffords in the Senate.

Not voting for Dems, unless you have an alternative candidate who has a real shot at winning, is saying that the people that are helped by the differences in those votes don't matter. Naturally what ticks us off as progressives is that the really good stuff never gets out of committee. However, I don't see how abstaining from electoral politics gives us an end to imperialism, single payer, etc.

In the state legislature, the distinction is not as sharp, mainly because suburban King County Republicans tend to be more liiberal on environmental issues so they can get elected. And of course there is pseudo-Dem Tim Shelton. On a national level, there is virtually no overlap.

WA State Senate
Number Dems 32 Repubs 17
Avg rating 87.5 22.5
Std. Dev. 14.5 11.1
Range 34-100 7 - 45

WA State House
Number Dems 66 Repubs 38
Avg rating 89.7 28.7
Std. Dev. 11.2 18.3
Range 50-100 0 - 73
(Numbers total more than 98 because some legislators did not serve a full term and were replaced.)

Congress-Senate
Number Dems 44 Repubs 56
Avg rating 93.3 8.0
Std. Dev. 10.5 11.8
Range 52-100 7 - 35 (leaving Jeffords out)

Congress-House
Number Dems 202 Repubs 222
Avg rating 94.6 5.5
Std. Dev. 8.0 6.2
Range 58-100 0 - 33

Comparing conservative House Dems (only 19 were rated less than 85) and liberal Repubs (16 rated more than 15) STILL leaves an overwhelming gap!

Number Dems 19 Repubs 16
Avg rating 75.8 22.2
Std. Dev. 8.8 4.6
Range 58-85 17 - 33

Comparing conservative Senate Dems (only 5 were rated less than 85) and liberal Repubs (7 rated more than 15), gives similar results Jeffords is the real outlier with a rating of 69, within the range of only 3(!) conservative Dems.

Number Dems 5 Repubs 7
Avg rating 71.6 34.1
Std. Dev. 13.0 16.5
Range 52-83 17 - 69

So yes, as lousy as Larsen is, he still beats the bejeezus out of ANY Republican, let alone a Tea Party sociopathic whackjob.

[oxymoron]

10. Thank you for this, Eridani

This was really helpful. I strongly feel that anyone that would weaken SS is not a Democrat, but after a lot of thought, I will probably have to hold my nose again and vote for Smith one more time. You can bet his office hasn't heard the last from me on this subject. Thanks again.

[eridani]

11. You can still lobby the hell out of him on Social Security

Remeber you are talking to Mr. Spock, and be very logical. A group of Dems in the 34th, 33rd and 11th state LDs talked him into reversing his position on the 2005 bankruptcy bill. He voted against it after having written a letter to other New Dems urging them to support it.

[eridani]

8. Any Dem is better than any Republican

Attention all Adam Smith supporters:

The Northeast Tacoma Neighborhood Council is holding a candidates' forum THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH at 6:30PM. We need your help to fill the room and show that the 9th District supports Adam in this election!

Our campaign team will be there with t-shirts, buttons and stickers to show our support for Adam. Please let us know what size t-shirt you would like and we will have it ready for you!

Here are the full details:

Thursday, September 16th @ 6:30pm
Meeker Middle School
4402 Nassau Ave NE
Tacoma 98422

**This event is being held the same night as Congress is in session, meaning that Adam will not be able to make it. Nonetheless, our opponent will be attending with his supporters and we want to show that Adam has the support of our community.**

Please RSVP to [e-mail] if you plan on joining us. Tell all of your friends and neighbors too!

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

-Team Smith
__._,_.___

[oxymoron]

12. I relentlessly lobbied his office.

He has actually changed the verbiage regarding SS on his website. I also got a VM from his DC office and I'm anxious to hear his response. I will be voting for him, but his office has not heard the last from me. :)

[eridani]

13. He can be turned on issues. In 2005, extensive lobbying caused him to

--reverse his support of the bankruptcy bill. From writing a letter urging New Democrats to go along with the Repubican bill, he went to actually voting against it.

[uppityperson]

14. Good and thank you. Keep lobbying him.