I cannot overstate how dangerous this moment is

Just over a week ago, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the U.S. government had hit the limit on total federal borrowing allowed by law, also known as the debt ceiling.

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

Just over a week ago, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the U.S. government had hit the limit on total federal borrowing allowed by law, also known as the debt ceiling. Unless Congress raises or does away with the debt limit soon, the federal government will go into default, triggering a global financial crisis that economists estimate will destroy 6 million jobs and $12 trillion in household wealth.¹

Congress can defuse this time bomb by simply raising the debt limit, as it has dozens of times over the years, under presidents of both parties.

But Kevin McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the other MAGA radicals now in control of the House of Representatives are refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless President Biden agrees to deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

Friends, I cannot overstate how dangerous this moment is. I honestly believe that these MAGA extremists will drive our economy over the cliff if their demands aren't met. It will require a major campaign to prevent this disaster, and that's what MoveOn is planning.

However, MoveOn just told me that they are facing a $1 million fundraising shortfall this month—money they were counting on to help fuel this fight.

That's why I'm personally asking you today: Will you chip in $5 a month to MoveOn to keep them strong and able to stop the Republicans from cutting Social Security and Medicare?

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

In order to win this fight, we need to mobilize overwhelming pressure on Republicans in swing districts who don't want to be blamed for cutting Social Security and Medicare or driving the economy off a cliff.

Right now, there are 18 Republicans from districts that President Biden won in 2020, plus several more who will represent competitive districts, and we would need only five of them to join with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling and prevent an economic meltdown.

We can do it. There's a reason that Social Security is called the "third rail" of American politics. Those who try to cut Social Security and Medicare rarely survive politically.

However, we can't afford to go into this fight with MoveOn facing a fundraising shortfall. We need MoveOn at full strength, doing what they do best: people-powered grassroots campaigning.

Will you chip in $5 a month to MoveOn in order to ensure that they have the sustained resources to take on the GOP for as long as it takes?

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Let's face it. Representatives like Greene, Matt Gaetz, and Lauren Boebert don't care about what it would mean for the U.S. government to go into default. All they care about is getting on Fox News and playing to the insurrectionist MAGA base of the Republican Party.

We saw during the fight over the speaker of the House how far these people are willing to go. They held up Congress for an entire week to extract concessions from their own party leaders. Imagine what they'll do in a fight with Democrats, when they'll have the entire right-wing media machine cheering them on.

We can defend Social Security and Medicare and stop the MAGA radicals from forcing the government into default—but only if we work together. Will you start a $5 monthly donation to MoveOn today?

Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

Source:

1. "Yellen says U.S. has hit debt limit, triggering 'extraordinary measures,'" Politico, January 19, 2023
https://act.moveon.org/go/170362?t=8&akid=343850%2E53570607%2EDLoW3L

Want to support MoveOn's work? Voters just defied history and stopped a MAGA wave of extremism at the polls. But there is more work to do to end the filibuster, codify abortion rights into law, and defend our freedoms, our families, and our futures. We can accomplish all this and more, but only if we work together. 

 

Will you chip in monthly to power MoveOn's critical work? 

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

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