"Exactly. That's why we need to demand they stop playing games. People like us have to stand up for ourselves. The politicians are like children and will get away with whatever they can. So if you and I don't take a stand, it'll never change. We have to try. If enough of us raise enough hell, stick together and refuse to take 'no' for an answer, we just might pull this off."
"How? How are you going to get these guys with all their money and powerful backers to pay attention? How can you make them do anything?"
"First, we're going to get 40,000 people to sign this. Look what it says. 'I will only vote for a candidate who will protect Social Security and work to increase benefits.' I'd say that's pretty clear."
"And
how will we know they will actually do this? What's my signing a
petition got to do with making my congressman get his butt in gear?"
"It's a place to start. We will build on it to demand action. For one thing, you're saying this is very important to you. If fact, you're saying if he wants your vote, he had better step up to the plate."
"And they'll promise to do it, get elected, then break their promises."
"This time we won't let them."
"Hah!"
Most
people are pretty jaded and pessimistic about the possibility of moving
the system. Inaction is the norm, the status quo the accepted state of
things. Resignation is endemic.
Many will want to argue at this point that we're wasting our time.
This is not an argument you can win. No one knows for sure what will work and what will not. And frankly, those skeptics have history on their side. For the average American things are going backwards. Very little is getting done, unless it benefits the rich.
At the same time, that's not an excuse for not trying. Not trying guarantees failure.
"If we don't try, then we'll never get anything done. If you don't want to see Social Security destroyed, then sign this and we'll take it from there. It can't hurt."
That's all that needs to be said for now. Here is what the petition pledge looks like:
What does a person have to lose by signing this?
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