Jeff Klein's blog

Dear Friends,

I wish I had more time to write -- maybe I will be able later -- but I wanted to send a brief update now, as I have internet capability her in Alexandria. Let me explain.

Most of the Convoy participants gathered n NYC on July 3, the majority flying out together on July 4 and 5, but with many others -- including me -- having made other arrangements to get to Cairo from various parts of the US, Europe and the Middle East.  The group is very impressive  -- about 250 people all told -- led by British MP George Galloway and some of his staffers, plus a variety of organizers from around the US -- including a young Iranian-American woman named Fatima from Idaho(!) and many Palestinian-Americans.

False Friends?

As the press continues to report breathlessly on negotiations to avoid the so-called “Fiscal Cliff” – which is no immediate crisis unless it is used as the excuse to attack vital social benefits – there are mixed signals from the Obama administration and Democratic legislators. 

Apparently the Dems are holding fast on the need for more revenue from taxes on the very rich, but also possibly ready to wobble on meeting the Republican demand to raise the eligibility age for Medicare or apply a cost-of-living formula to Social Security that would cut benefits in the long run.

“Say it Ain’t So, Mike!”

Congressman Michael Capuano was cited in the Boston Globe recently as being “open” to raising the age for Medicare eligibility, despite his earlier endorsement of the Budget for All question that opposed any cuts. 

Maybe he should hear from you?  Of course you could ask if he may have been misquoted. . .

Rep. Capuano’s office:        617-621-6208 / 202-225-5111

And don’t forget to call your other representatives in DC and urge them that no “Grand Bargain” is better than a bad deal:

Sen. John Kerry:       617-565-8519 / 202-224-2742

Sen. Scott Brown:    617-565-3170 / 202-224-4543

Rep. Steve Lynch:    617-428-2000 / 202-225-8273

Just What Is the "Fiscal Cliff?" 

National Priorities Project Short VIDEO here;  more background (and links) here

Good mainstream media summary with lots of info from the Washington Post here

“10 things Republicans don't want you to know about the fiscal cliff” here