Coalition Pushes Social Security Accounts

Washington Post
"Today, CoMPASS -- the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America's Social Security -- unveils its membership list, boasting that it has expanded to 116 associations and advocacy groups in "just 45 days."

'We're not disappointed at all. I'm thrilled,' said Jade West, senior vice president of government relations at the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and chairman of CoMPASS's informal membership task force."
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All Together Now

Roll Call
"The lead business group promoting President Bush's planned Social Security overhaul has dramatically expanded its ranks.

In an ad running today in Roll Call, Generations Together boasts a roster of 116 members, most of whom joined the campaign in the past few weeks. Spokeswoman Tita Freeman called the group "a significant presence on the ground."

The announcement is in part a thumbed nose at unions, who have used partial membership lists to target members, in some cases driving them to quit the group."
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Bush Pushes Agenda in Parkersburg Visit

Charleston Gazette
"Bringing his call for adding more personal control to Social Security retirement funds to his 20th state in two months, President Bush told a receptive audience here Tuesday it was time for Congress 'to stop playing politics with the issue and come to the table.'"

"'I think the momentum's changing for his ideas to be put forward,' said Eric Russell of Parkersburg, a member of Generations Together, a group favoring Bush's Social Security proposals. 'America benefits when good debate happens.'"
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Social Security Groups Claiming Momentum

Roll Call
"Generations Together, which along with Progress for America represents the leading edge of the pro-privatization forces, released a memo Monday documenting its efforts during the two-week Congressional break.

Among the activities: 4,000 Generations Together supporters attended 65 town halls held by Members of Congress, 200 supporters sent letters to the editor, and another 200 made calls to talk radio shows."
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From The Field

California

Representative Wally Herger and Generations Together supporters outside a Redding town hall meeting

Georgia

Representative Westmoreland visits with Generations Together members following a town hall meeting in Fayetteville

Fayetteville high school students sport Generations Together signs and buttons after a town hall meeting

New CoMPASS Membership Demonstrates Growing Momentum for Social Security Reform

"The movement to fix Social Security gained new momentum as the Coalition for the Modernization and Protection of America's Social Security (CoMPASS) today announced that its membership has expanded to 116 leading associations and advocacy groups in just 45 days."
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CoMPASS Steering Committee Urges Congress to Enact Meaningful Social Security Reform

In letters sent to every member of Congress yesterday, CoMPASS advocated for structural reform of Social Security to "give younger workers the opportunity to establish personal retirement accounts and build nest eggs that can be passed on to their heirs while assuring older Americans that nothing will change for them."
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116 Organizations. One Message: Fix Social Security Now!

In a full page ad in Thursday's Roll Call, CoMPASS highlights the wide variety of organizations that are joining together to seek action by Congress this year to fix Social Security.
Click here to view our ad

CoMPASS Advisory Board Member Leanne Abdnor Continues to Make the Case for Social Security Reform in Newspapers across the Nation

"Social Security is broken and must be fixed, and women are at the greatest risk from those who say that ''just a few tweaks'' will fix the problems."

"Personal retirement accounts are not the sole solution to Social Security problems, but they are essential to reform. Strengthen the existing safety net, educate workers about the program, and then give women the option to choose; we're smart enough to make the decision that is right for us."
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CoMPASS Advisory Board Member Herman Cain Says Social Security Reform Essential to Ownership Society

"A new retirement security strategy is the first step in creating this ownership society. That strategy starts with replacing an outdated Social Security program left over from the Industrial Age with a new system that meets the needs of the 21st Century."
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They Said It

"I am confident that by coming together in a bipartisan way we can ensure that Social Security continues to provide financial security for future generations."

Jo Anne Barnhart
Commissioner of Social Security

Did You Know?

By 2031, there will be almost twice as many older Americans as today - from 37 million today to 71 million.