“Concentration of Wealth at the Top is Draining Social Security”
by Susie Madrak

Well, gee. Is this a bug – or a feature? Who could ever have predicted that concentrating all the wealth at the top and exempting them from increased Social Security taxes would lead to a decrease in the Social Security trust fund?

The nation’s wealth gap is widening amid an uproar about lofty pay packages in the financial world.

Executives and other highly compensated employees now receive more than one-third of all pay in the U.S., according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Social Security Administration data — without counting billions of dollars more in pay that remains off federal radar screens that measure wages and salaries.

Highly paid employees received nearly $2.1 trillion of the $6.4 trillion in total U.S. pay in 2007, the latest figures available. The compensation numbers don’t include incentive stock options, unexercised stock options, unvested restricted stock units and certain benefits.

The pay of employees who receive more than the Social Security wage base — now $106,800 — increased by 78%, or nearly $1 trillion, over the past decade, exceeding the 61% increase for other workers, according to the analysis. In the five years ending in 2007, earnings for American workers rose 24%, half the 48% gain for the top-paid. The result: The top-paid represent 33% of the total, up from 28% in 2002.

The growing portion of pay that exceeds the maximum amount subject to payroll taxes has contributed to the weakening of the Social Security trust fund. In May, the government said the Social Security fund would be exhausted in 2037, four years earlier than was predicted in 2008.

“Silent Sentinels” picketed the Wilson White House daily, except Sundays, for two years as part of the campaign to amend the Constitution to allow women to vote in the United States.  The 19th Amendment was certified on Aug. 26, 1920.

The key turning point in public opinion was the “Night of Terror” when prison guards abused women imprisoned for “obstructing sidewalk traffic,” i.e., peacefully demonstrating in favor of the right to vote for women.

The Knockout

Opening on November 30…

After a furious four-year

comeback, Ohio Democrats

are on the verge of knocking

out our Republican

opponents in 2010 – and

keeping them on the canvas

for the next ten years…

GET A RINGSIDE SEAT!

Monday, November 30

6:30PM

20th Century Theater

3021 Madison Road

Cincinnati, Ohio 45209

This will be one of the year’s most exciting and important political

strategy briefings, so bring your friends, family, and fellow activists along

— there is no general admission cost.

RSVP HERE or by emailing ssaheb@ohiodems.org or call Sarah Saheb at 614.271.1482 to reserve your seat today!

The Ohio Democratic Party is rolling out its blueprint for

victory in a series of Knockout events across the state.

The Butler County Progressive Political Action Committee meets for its fourth and final 2009 General Meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11 for a work session that looks ahead to the 2010 elections.

The meeting, which is open to all PAC members and their guests, takes place at the LCNB Bank Building, Community Room, second floor, 30 Park Place West, in uptown Oxford.

Marilyn Elzey, Chair of the PAC Membership Development Committee, and Brian Harrison, who chairs the PAC’s Political Information and Outreach Committee, are in charge of the meeting.

Elzey and Harrison will lead an analysis of the November 3 local elections.  They will focus on the results of the races involving the three PAC-endorsed candidates, each of whom will be invited to provide feedback on their campaigns.

The PAC will set election goals for 2010, an especially important year because it will determine the composition of the Ohio State Apportionment Board, which determines congressional and state legislative districts for the next decade.

Petitions and walking lists will be provided for members and guests who wish to seek election to the Butler County Democratic Party Central Committee in 2010.  PAC membership applications will also be available.

We have added two new pages to the web site.  Thanks to the work of Mary and Roland Duerksen.  Under “How Can You Help” is the new page “Contact Information For Elected Officials”.  Linked to this page is the new page “Suggested Talking Points for the Media or Elected Officials”.  We hope to add suggested talking points as important issues come up.

Many elected officials seem to be moved by written letters more that any other form of communication (remember many officials are old-school and may be technologically challenged).

Both the US House and Senate are considering health care with a public option.  Senator Sherrod Brown co-authored the public option of the Senate health care bill.  He doesn’t need convincing.  Senator George Voinovich seems to be against the entire health, but may not be against allowing the bill to be voted on.  If you do write Senator Voinovich remind him that a majority of Ohioans are for the public option and he should at least allow the health care bill an up or down vote.

If your representative is John Boehner, well what more can be said.  At this time, representative Steve Driehaus has not publicly commited one way or the other to the House health care bill.  He may be someone you should consider writing to.