Hello folks --

I am back ... this time to weigh-in on the Social Security debate.

Initiated by the San Francisco Gray Panthers, our new group is called the HANDS-OFF SOCIAL SECURITY COALITION and we are hoping that many of you will be willing to start chapters of this movement in your own communities ... of course, we will continue to do this as part of our SFA activities and use this website as an organizing / communication tool.

To date, our Coalition has organized three rallies in the San Francisco Financial District that have attracted good press coverage and community interest ... we have launched an on-going letter-writing campaign to Congress and the media ... and, we took part in a Townhall Meeting on Social Security held by the House Minority Leader / SF Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, on Thursday, Feb. 23rd.

But, as most of you know, in San Francisco, we are just preaching to the choir so we are ready to expand our mission to defeat the President's plan to radically change Social Security to a national effort ... that is why we so desperately need your help!

Our strategy is very simple based on a over-riding belief that President Bush is once-again trying to deceive the American people into believing in a crisis that doesn't exist ... our purpose is to insist that the Democrats stand firm against compromise on this issue, and we want to reach out to moderate Republicans who have reservations about Bush's plan, as well.

Because we strongly believe that there is NO crisis, and that there are more reasonable ways to address the long-term challenges the system faces, our message is equally simple:

- NO Privatizing!
- NO Benefit Cuts!
- NO Compromise!
- RAISE the Cap!

Our coalition currently includes the following local, regional, and national groups representing approx. 100,000 members:

- 4 Bay Area Gray Panther Networks
- CA Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA)
- Concerned Scientists in Aging
- Healthcare for All -California
- Mainstreet Moms Operation Blue (MMOB)
- The National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare
- Neighbor to Neighbor
- Older Women's League (OWL)
- The San Francisco Labor Council
- Senior Action Network (SAN)
- Seniors for America (SFA)
- Students for Social Security

In addition, a second chapter of the Hands-Off Social Security Coalition has been started in Santa Cruz CA ... I hope that we can soon add your community coalition to our list of affiliates speaking out against Social Security privatization!

And, as always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Warm regards,

Howard

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