Troy Davis faces execution for the murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in Georgia, despite a strong claim of innocence. 7 out of 9 witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence links Davis to the crime. The Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles has voted to deny clemency, yet Governor Perdue can still exercise leadership to ensure that his death sentence is commuted. Please urge him to demonstrate respect for fairness and justice by supporting clemency for Troy Davis.
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Showing posts with label capital punishment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label capital punishment. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Social Security Strong as Ever
by Joel Wendland
John McCain and the Republicans like to say that Social Security needs to be privatized because its on its last legs. McCain even recently insisted that workers paying into the system to fund retirement benefits for seniors – how the system has worked for the last 73 years – is an "absolute disgrace" that has to be fixed.
But McCain either lied to his audience or he is confused about how Social Security works and how well it is working.
According to new data released by the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security Trust Fund surpluses will continue for the next 41 years, and at current economic growth rates, the ongoing revenues into the program will pay at least 81% of the existing retirement and disability benefits for 75 years. And the reason this projection isn't longer is because the CBO won't project farther into the future.
These projections are improvements over past projections.
The CBO report, “future Social Security beneficiaries will receive larger benefits in retirement … than current beneficiaries do, even after adjustments have been made for inflation.”
In other words, McCain's specific claim that Social Security won't be here for my generations' retirement is simply false (unless he or his survivors succeed in killing the program).
In addition to providing higher Social Security benefits than what are promised now, even with no changes to the program, according to a policy memo from the Economic Policy Institute, "The trust fund will cushion the large baby boom retirement, as it was designed to do, but most benefits will continue to be funded by direct transfers from workers to retirees, as they are now."
But if you're still worried about it, why not lift or end the income cap on contributions to the Social security system. Right now, people who earn more than roughly $100,000 do not pay Social Security payroll taxes on the income over that amount. But they get full benefits when they retire or pass the retirement age: like John McCain, who currently gets almost $2,000 a month.
Barack Obama is talking about raising this cap to help ensure the program's future financial stability.
Right now, the earnings cap is pegged to income averages and rises on its as earnings rise, which of course, means that George W. Bush and previous presidents have presided over tax increases since 1982. But is this system fair?
I say completely eliminate the cap to make the system fair. For once, let's have a "flat tax" on Social Security contributions.
John McCain and the Republicans like to say that Social Security needs to be privatized because its on its last legs. McCain even recently insisted that workers paying into the system to fund retirement benefits for seniors – how the system has worked for the last 73 years – is an "absolute disgrace" that has to be fixed.
But McCain either lied to his audience or he is confused about how Social Security works and how well it is working.
According to new data released by the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security Trust Fund surpluses will continue for the next 41 years, and at current economic growth rates, the ongoing revenues into the program will pay at least 81% of the existing retirement and disability benefits for 75 years. And the reason this projection isn't longer is because the CBO won't project farther into the future.
These projections are improvements over past projections.
The CBO report, “future Social Security beneficiaries will receive larger benefits in retirement … than current beneficiaries do, even after adjustments have been made for inflation.”
In other words, McCain's specific claim that Social Security won't be here for my generations' retirement is simply false (unless he or his survivors succeed in killing the program).
In addition to providing higher Social Security benefits than what are promised now, even with no changes to the program, according to a policy memo from the Economic Policy Institute, "The trust fund will cushion the large baby boom retirement, as it was designed to do, but most benefits will continue to be funded by direct transfers from workers to retirees, as they are now."
But if you're still worried about it, why not lift or end the income cap on contributions to the Social security system. Right now, people who earn more than roughly $100,000 do not pay Social Security payroll taxes on the income over that amount. But they get full benefits when they retire or pass the retirement age: like John McCain, who currently gets almost $2,000 a month.
Barack Obama is talking about raising this cap to help ensure the program's future financial stability.
Right now, the earnings cap is pegged to income averages and rises on its as earnings rise, which of course, means that George W. Bush and previous presidents have presided over tax increases since 1982. But is this system fair?
I say completely eliminate the cap to make the system fair. For once, let's have a "flat tax" on Social Security contributions.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Help Stop Virginia's 100th Execution
From the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty:
Percy Walton is scheduled to be killed by the people of Virginia at 9pm on June 10, 2008 for his murders of Jessie Kendrick, Elizabeth Kendrick and Archie Moore. Background information highlighting Percy Walton's severe mental illness is below.
At a time when much of the country is turning away from the death penalty, Virginia has four executions scheduled in the coming months. Second only to Texas in the number of prisoners killed since 1977, next week's scheduled killing of Percy Walton could be Virginia's 100th execution. Please take a few minutes right now to say "Enough!" and help stop this execution.
Contact Gov. Tim Kaine RIGHT NOW by telephone and/or fax and politely ask him to grant clemency (show mercy) to Percy Walton by commuting his death sentence to life without the possibility of parole. If you live in Virginia, be sure to start by stating your name and the place where you live.
Gov. Tim Kaine
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
Learn more about Percy Walton here.
Percy Walton is scheduled to be killed by the people of Virginia at 9pm on June 10, 2008 for his murders of Jessie Kendrick, Elizabeth Kendrick and Archie Moore. Background information highlighting Percy Walton's severe mental illness is below.
At a time when much of the country is turning away from the death penalty, Virginia has four executions scheduled in the coming months. Second only to Texas in the number of prisoners killed since 1977, next week's scheduled killing of Percy Walton could be Virginia's 100th execution. Please take a few minutes right now to say "Enough!" and help stop this execution.
Contact Gov. Tim Kaine RIGHT NOW by telephone and/or fax and politely ask him to grant clemency (show mercy) to Percy Walton by commuting his death sentence to life without the possibility of parole. If you live in Virginia, be sure to start by stating your name and the place where you live.
Gov. Tim Kaine
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
Learn more about Percy Walton here.
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