Chain, Chain, Chains: Don’t Link Chained CPI to Social Security
Holding a red-and-white paper chain, more than 30 Indiana activists formed a human chain outside the U.S. Federal Building in Fort Wayne, Ind., this morning and chanted:
“It's time for us to just say no/Chained CPI has got to go.
We're smart enough to see the lie/So don't you chain our CPI.”
In dozens of other cities across the nation today members of the Alliance for Retired Americans, other senior advocates, community and faith allies formed human chains outside lawmakers’ offices and federal buildings to protest cuts in Social Security and other federal benefits that a proposed “chained" CPI would bring.
The "chained" CPI proposal would reduce cost-of-living adjustments and prevent benefits from keeping up with inflation. Under chained CPI, someone retiring at age 65 would lose nearly $5,000 in Social Security benefits by age 75. By age 85, that person would lose almost $14,000. If he or she lived until 95, the loss would be more than $28,000.
In St. Louis, demonstrators outside the U.S. attorney’s office didn’t let a downpour dampen the day. They donned ponchos and raised umbrellas as they held hands and stretch a paper chain among them.
In North Charleston , S.C., activists formed a chain outside the office of Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) office, while another group took the “No Chained CPI” message to the Social Security office in Conway.
RT @activeretirees: 60 turn out in Reno heat to circle the entire #SocialSecurity office w @NVAFLCIO @NCPSSM #chainedcpi
— AFL-CIO (@AFLCIO) July 2, 2013
While many of the actions were aimed at lawmakers who back the Social Security cuts, others included those who are fighting to protect Social Security. In Albuquerque, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) joined members of the New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans in a human chain in front of the Social Security Administration offices.
A diverse group of seniors and young people chained up outside Sen. Mark Warner’s (D-Va.) Richmond office to urge him to oppose the chained CPI cuts.
