Resolution Demanding “Hands Off Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid!”

WHEREAS substantial cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security appear certain to be enacted by Congress by August 2 or soon thereafter in the absence of massive and militant protest actions; and

WHEREAS President Obama’s Bi-Partisan Commission (Simpson-Bowles) determined that Draconian cuts were needed in these “entitlements” and now various schemes are proliferating calling for takeaways of one kind or another; and

WHEREAS the takeaways contemplated for the 54 million people on Social Security, 45 million receiving Medicare, and 53 million using Medicaid are being justified by the claim that the country is broke and we all need to share in the sacrifice to restore fiscal stability; and

WHEREAS that is a giant hoax because taxing the corporations and the rich, closing the loopholes, bringing the war dollars home now, and creating tens of millions of good paying jobs—which would produce gigantic additional revenue—would ensure all the funding needed to preserve and expand our rights and gains; and  

WHEREAS the big question now is what the labor movement will do to meet this challenge confronting working people and the great majority. The choice is clear: either confine labor’s protest against cuts in the social programs to pronouncements opposing them, coupled with lobbying; or combine these efforts with an all-out mobilization of the rank-and-file and our allies to prevent the cuts from being enacted; and

WHEREAS the first option, without more, will not succeed because Democrats and Republicans alike have made clear their intention to impose the cuts, and this will not change with just a lobbying campaign. On the other hand, our labor movement has the power to turn the situation around and to stop the corporate onslaught in its tracks by demanding “Hands Off Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid!” and organizing immediately a fightback campaign on a scope and magnitude that surpasses anything labor has done in the past several decades; now therefore be it

RESOLVED that the NJ State Industrial Union Council urges the AFL-CIO, Change to Win, NEA, and other independent unions to issue a statement declaring their rejection of any and all proposals to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid; and be it further

RESOLVED that NJ State Industrial Union Council urges the above named labor organizations to organize a campaign to mobilize support for "No Cuts or Concessions! Tax the Corporations and the Rich!” in the streets -- where it counts the most -- and in every corner of the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED that the NJ State Industrial Union Council urges the above named organizations to get the wheels rolling on organizing an emergency march on Washington with the goal being to generate such large numbers in the capital as to preclude enactment of the cuts being planned by the corporations, the wealthy, and the politicians willing to do their bidding; and be it finally

RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to all the above named organizations.