In a series of video letters, working families and retirees ask members of Congress not to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits. Because of the fiscal obstacle course created by Congress, some in Washington, D.C., want to cut these lifelines. But there is no need to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, particularly when any cuts would directly harm working families.

Thousands of Fire Fighters (IAFF) who were on the front lines in the response to Superstorm Sandy lost their own homes and personal lives while working hard to save the lives and homes of others. Many of them are now struggling and need direct financial assistance immediately. Despite the help they are receiving from family, friends and their fellow IAFF members, they need more help in starting their lives over.

The Campaign for America's Future (CAF) launched a new website Thursday, Wage Class War, saying that the 2012 election was, in large part, about class warfare and that the Democrats who sided with the middle class and poor were the victors.

After widespread reports of long lines and problems with voting on Election Day, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) announced that he will introduce legislation that will help address at least part of the problem. 

A group of Democratic senators is circulating a letter opposing benefit cuts to programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and saying that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy should expire at the end of the year. The letter also calls for increasing revenue, cuts to defense and the closing of tax loopholes for the wealthy and corporations. The letter was drafted by Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa). The Democratic senators are hoping to get 30 senators to sign the letter.

A study released by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) finds that 400,000 jobs could be lost if Congress fails to extend the federally funded extended Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits program when it expires at the end of 2012.  Unemployment benefits not only provide a lifeline to unemployed workers struggling to get by, but also provide critical support for the economy.  According to EPI, “economists widely recognize that extending unemployment benefits is one of the most effective tools for generating jobs in a downturn” because cash-strapped jobless workers immediately spend their UI benefits, and this spending generates activity throughout the economy.  EPI finds that if Congress refuses to extend UI, the unemployment rate will be 0.3% higher next year than it will be if Congress continues the program.

A group of 350 prominent economists, including economic experts from the AFL-CIO, issued a joint statement warning that the type of austerity measures favored by Republicans and suggested by the bipartisan commission, led by Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, would further harm the economy and weaken the social safety net that millions of working families rely upon. They argue that the seemingly obsessive focus on the deficit obscures what the country really needs to focus on—creating jobs.

Thousands of AFT members immediately volunteered in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy to help the affected communities in any way they can. AFT represents about 365,000 workers in the area damaged by the storm, and many members who felt Sandy's impact still jumped in to help out others in need.

An analysis posted by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee shows that Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) won re-election while promising not only to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, but to expand the benefits for those programs. Tester won the race by a comfortable 3.9 point margin despite predictions that the seat was a likely Republican pick-up.

Reflecting what voters said in AFL-CIO's election-night poll, a poll conducted on behalf of Democracy Corps and the Campaign for America's Future (CAF) shows that voters strongly reject proposals to cut Social Security and Medicare. When asked which was more important, 70% of respondents said that protecting education, Medicare and Social Security was more important than broad cuts to reduce the deficit. More than half—58%—of the overall sample said that they felt strongly about opposing such cuts. Only 17% of the survey said they felt strongly that across-the-board cuts were important enough to cut the popular programs.