Join the Fight Against Social Security Privatization

Why were over 80 people rallying in front of Charles Schwab on Valentine’s Day? They were there to tell Charles Schwab and the Bush administration that there should be no “sweetheart” deals when it comes to social security. The Bush administration plans to privatize social security—encouraged by brokerage firms (such as Charles Schwab), which stand to reap massive profits from the management of private accounts that will result from social security’s privatization.

The next step in the campaign to stop the privatization of social security will be a town hall meeting with Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, and Rep. Bobby Rush on Monday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m. at 25 East Pearson Street, 15th Floor. Please come and bring a friend to tell our representatives that social security should not be privatized.

A diverse group attended the Valentine’s Day rally, including members of AFSCME Council 31, Illinois Alliance for Retired American, Access Living, the Illinois AFL-CIO, Unite-Here, the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, Metro Seniors in Action, Citizen Action, and the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law.

One of the organizers of the rally, Citizen Action’s Hannah Lehman, said, “Social security is the most effective government program in our nation’s history. It provides benefits for over 47 million Americans. The Bush administration’s plan to privatize the program will effectively end what’s been a public trust between children, workers, and retirees.”

Save Our Security Illinois, the coalition organizing these events, is seeking more organizations to join the rapidly expanding campaign. To join on or to help out, e contact Hannah Lehman of Citizen Action at 312.427.2114 ext.400.