Wanda Powe

Project Chairman

(AFSC – FRC) American Federation of Senior Citizens

(P.O. Box 96414, Washington, D.C. 20090-6414)

Pay The Difference Back To Social Security Out Of General Funds

Dear Senior,

[Another 11-2013 letter] I need to shoot straight with you. The last six months have been beyond challenging for the American Federation of Senior Citizens...

...your retirement security, health care and Social Security benefits have been threatened more than any other time I can remember since becoming Project Chairman...

When I agreed to become Project Chairman of the American Federation of Senior Citizens, I made a personal promise to always be frank with you and give you the truth.

As a friend, supporter and loyal partner in the fight to protect Social Security... you deserve that. The fact of the matter is that your support of the American Federation of Senior Citizens has never mattered more... for you, your children and grandchildren.

I am sending this letter via U.S. CERTIFIED MAIL because the American Federation of Senior Citizens is in emergency mode right now. Spending nearly $4 in limited resources to send this certified letter to the most loyal of our members, asking for an immediate response in sending a 2014...I'm afraid to even tell you what happened.

To date, I have received less than a 10% response. I am not sure if my letter was lost in the mail. I am uncertain if members set my appeal aside, thinking that they would get to it later – but then forgetting.

One thing I am certain of – the American Federation of Sonior Citizens is now facing a dire financial crisis. The AFSC was in financial distress and needing urgent support when I originally sent my letter... but now that distress has become a full-scale emergency.

Now, I am spending close to $4 on CERTIFIED postage because I have no other choice. The AFSC cannot lose momentum in the fight to protect your Social Security benefits and Medicare.

I cannot pull back on support to Congressional leaders who are currently proposing legislation to protect your retirement benefits and health care choices.

I cannot withdraw the leadership of the American Federation of Senior Citizens when that leadership has NEVER been needed more than it is right now.

Yes I am asking for your 2014 Contribution – perhaps you were one of the members who responded originally (if so, please know that I thanked God for your commitment).

But now, I am not only asking for a 2014 Commitment – I am asking for an additional EMERGENCY CONTRIBUTION to the AFSC. Please let me explain why the AFSC is under the gun like never before.

Barack Obama enacted a one-year tax "holiday" on Social Security – and, in doing so, undermined the very basis of the entire Social Security program.

Obama's policy cut 2 percentage points off payroll contributions of the country's 155 million workers in 2013, reducing them from 6.2% to 4.2%. And while that may seem like good news – it is not.

Employers would continue to pay their full share of the 6.2% and the money is supposed to be being put into the Social Security Trust Fund, so that the long-term deficit is not increased.

There is one major problem. Now many in Congress are eager to make the 2 percentage-point cut permanent.

Now many in Congress do not want to pay the difference back to Social Security out of general funds. Now many in Congress are pointing to the fact that if the pay back doesn't occur, the Social Security program's long-term funding shortage would be doubled... making it easier for lawmakers to argue that the entire program is unsustainable – eliminating it entirely.

A nightmare is unfolding. That is why I am spending close to $4 to get this letter in your hands. And that is why the American Federation of Senior Citizens cannot move forward without your 2014 contribution and generous EMERGENCY CONTRIBUTION.

I sincerely hope I did not cause you any inconvenience in - Sending this letter via CERTIFIED MAIL. If this were not an Emergency, I wouldn't think of using CERTIFIED MAIL.

But I had to make sure that this Emergency Request reached you as quickly as possible – and did not wind up in anyone else's hands. I couldn't bear the torment of again agonizing over why my most trusted friends were not responding.

Today, I must not only ask you for your 2014 Commitment to the American Federation of Senior Citizens, but also another gift as an Emergency Donation so that I can fight to protect your Social Security in Congress NOW. I would not ordinarily do this, but times are not ordinary – this is perhaps the most challenging year of our existence.

So please, return to me today your 2014 Commitment with your additional Emergency Donation of $40 to help fight to keep Social Security off the chopping block.

I have never been more frightened about the future of Social Security. It is absolutely critical that the American Federation of Senior Citizens continue to lead this fight.

Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you for protecting your retirement security...

With gratitude,

Wanda Powe, Project Chairman

P.S. With your Social Security in the crosshairs for cuts - possibly permanent - I need to do everything to help in the fight to protect your benefits. Please help with your two $40 donations today... (AFSC – FRC, P.O. Box 96414, Washington, D.C. 20090-6414).

210 NORTH PATRICK STREET, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314 PHONE: (703) 548-1708; American Federation of Senior Citizens is project of the Federation of Responsible Citizens. Because the FRC lobbies Congress on behalf of Americans, your donation is not deductible for federal income tax purposes.