Now, Republicans are pushing for well over $50 billion in cuts to the budget, which would result in the loss of 700,000 jobs nationwide according to leading economists. They won’t even consider cutting the $53 billion the Republicans have used to subsidize the oil industry or eliminating projects out of the defense budget that even the Pentagon says it doesn’t need and doesn’t want. Instead, they want cuts on everything from local law enforcement to community health centers, from food assistance to low-income women, infants, and children to rural development investment. And of course, they made it clear over and over again, that cutting Social Security benefits must be on the table.

Republicans have gone from being fiscally irresponsible to morally reprehensible in only a few short months. Their goal appears to be the death of civil society by a 1,000 cuts.

It’s time for Democrats to stand up and hold their ground. Republicans in Congress can’t balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class — there must be shared sacrifice.

Join me, and our partners at CREDO Action, in calling on Democrats in Congress to accept no new budget cuts while we continue to give tax breaks to people who make a million dollars a year.

ADD YOUR NAME NOW

This approach to shared sacrifice is backed up by the support of the American people. A recent Washington Post poll shows the vast majority of Americans believe the best way to reduce the deficit is through a combination of spending cuts and increased taxes on America’s most wealthy.

But it’s not about polling. It’s about responsibility. If there is one thing we’ve learned from years and years of Republican misleadership, it’s that you just can’t trust Republicans with your money.

Republicans don’t know how to balance budgets. They never have. I’ve balanced budgets. I did it as Governor for 12 straight years. I’m not the only Democrat with a strong fiscal record. Republicans like to forget that the last President to balance the budget and create a surplus was Democrat Bill Clinton.

Democrats can get the job done as long as we stand up for what we believe and never back down.

JOIN ME IN CALLING ON DEMOCRATS TO STAND UP AND NOT BACK DOWN

Make no mistake about it; the Republicans’ obsession with cutting the federal budget at all costs may be good short-term politics, but it’s bad policy and not the best course for the country.

It’s up to Democrats in Congress to stop them. It’s up to us to make sure Democrats know where we stand.

Thank you  for everything you do.

-Howard

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

As a speech pathologist with the Milwaukee Public Schools, she helps kids learn how to talk. Sometimes these kids struggle because of a birth defect, sometimes it’s because the kids have special developmental needs. In more than 35 years, my mom’s helped over 700 kids, devoting herself to figuring out exactly what each child needs to learn how to talk and then patiently working with them day by day and week by week. Each time we chat, she’s got a new story about one of the kids she’s working with and the progress he’s made. And she absolutely lights up when she tells it, I can hear it through the phone.

Please stand with my mom and thousands more like her in our virtual march in solidarity with Wisconsin’s unions.

Governor Walker’s attacks on hard-working, devoted teachers like my mom are outrageous, teachers’ salaries are not the reason the state of Wisconsin has a budget crisis. And his actions have driven teachers’ morale to the lowest it’s been since my mom’s been working with Milwaukee Public Schools.

My mom wrote me last night to say thanks to DFA for supporting Wisconsin, and I wanted to share her gratitude with you. It’s been a big boost to her and her friends.

For 25 years, her teachers’ union has accepted wage increases that barely match the rate of inflation in order to maintain quality health insurance and pension benefits when they retire. They’ve negotiated in good faith with their school board and Governor Walker is now using dictatorial tactics to wipe it away.

We can’t let this happen. Please join the march and stand in solidarity with my mom today.

Thanks for everything you do.

-Mia

Mia Moore, Chief of Staff
Democracy for America

Just hours after President Obama said that Social Security cuts and privatization are off the table, Cantor said that Social Security had to be cut to balance the budget. But here’s the thing: Social Security does not and never has added a single dime to the federal deficit.

Let me try to explain this to Mr. Cantor. Social Security is paid for through the payroll tax. Currently, the payroll tax raises way more money than Social Security pays out and things are projected to keep going this way for another couple of decades.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? They add to the deficit. Tax breaks for billionaires? They add to the deficit. Subsidies for big oil? They add to the deficit. Bailing out Mr. Cantor’s friends on Wall Street when they make a bunch of shady deals, cause a financial crisis and almost ruin the world economy? That adds a lot to the deficit.

Simply put, Social Security will run a surplus for decades. The rest of the budget runs a deficit. So, why are we even talking about Social Security?

Here’s why: Eric Cantor and his right-wing friends want to destroy the program. That’s the only reason we’re having this conversation. Join me now and let’s send Eric Cantor and other members of Congress a message — Keep Social Security safe, stable and secure.

Please sign the petition now.

Eric Cantor’s comments aren’t anything new. Right-wing Republicans have been trying to tear down Social Security for generations. It’s the holy grail of the right-wing.

Now Republicans are playing with fire — they’re threatening to shut down the government. They’re holding the debt ceiling hostage. They’ll do whatever it takes to put cutting Social Security on the table.

But America is a community. We stand up for one another — including our seniors. That’s why DFA has launched it’s biggest campaign ever to push back against the right-wing lies and spin and to push a real solution to keep Social Security safe, stable and secure forever.

See, right now people like Mitch McConnell and Sarah Palin don’t pay the same percentage of their income into Social Security that most Americans do — and big surprise — neither does Eric Cantor. That’s because the tax is capped at $106,800, but most Americans don’t know it. All we need to do is scrap the cap and make the payroll tax fair and equal for everyone to keep Social Security safe, stable and secure.

Join the movement to beat back the right-wing and keep Social Security safe, stable and secure.

When we stand up for our values of community, security and liberty, America wins.

- Arshad Hasan, Executive Director
Democracy for America

Now, our community is coming under right-wing attack.

Republicans in the House are chomping at the bit to gut Social Security, threatening to raise the retirement age and cut benefits that millions of seniors depend on to survive. Claiming Social Security is in crisis is simply not true, but that doesn’t stop Republicans from saying it. Even with no changes to the system, reports show Social Security can pay out full benefits until at least 2037.

That’s why cutting benefits now, including raising the retirement age, must remain completely off the table. Social Security is the economic backbone of a retirement free from poverty and homelessness for aging and sick Americans no longer able to work. Raising the retirement age is a job-killer for young Americans while cuts to benefits will force the elderly to choose between food and rent. That is not the America we believe in and we will do everything in our power to stop cuts from happening.

But stopping cuts should not be good enough. We can do better.

Right now, Bill Gates doesn’t pay the same percentage of his income into Social Security that most Americans pay. Neither does Tom Cruise , Donald Trump or for that matter even President Obama. The reason why: the Social Security payroll tax is capped at $106,800 per individual costing tax payers billions of dollars in lost revenue from the people most able to invest. The cap risks the long-term health of the program while effectively giving wealthier Americans a tax cut.

Join me in calling on Congress to keep Social Security safe, stable, and secure for generations to come.

Please add your name now

This isn’t just any new campaign. We’re building off the success of our “Hands Off Social Security” campaign last year that helped defeat the reckless proposals created by the Deficit Commission. Now, we’re pulling out all the stops and going on offense.

It’s never been more important to stand up and fight than now. Right-wing Republicans are willing to do anything to tear down Social Security. They’re talking about shutting down the government, holding the debt ceiling hostage. Whatever it takes to destroy Social Security and prop up big banks, insurance companies and Wall Street, they’re going to do it.

We’re building on our biggest campaign ever to stop them and it starts today. The first step is to deliver a message that Americans are unified and standing strong against cuts while fighting for improvements. Can you help us get to 100,000 signatures by the end of the month to launch the campaign and send Congress and the President a message?

Yes! I want to join the campaign

We believe in a strong community that will keep Social Security safe, stable and secure for generations to come and we will stand up to make it happen.

Thank you for taking action today.

- Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America