MomsRising members in DC

Awed.  Inspired.  Fired up. On Thursday, we invited people to tell us how the "fiscal cliff" could impact them if their personal budgets had to be stretched tighter due to the very wealthy continuing to get the Bush tax breaks. Responses poured in.

And, on Friday, we delivered many of those stories directly into the hands of President Barack Obama.

But we can't stop there.  Congress is next.

*Do you have a moment to stop by your Congressperson's in-district office? Drop off moving stories that illustrate how our family budgets can’t be stretched any farther in order to keep tax breaks for the wealthiest.

Click here: http://www.momsrising.org/events/create_event/0/0

The clock is ticking: If we go off a "fiscal cliff" because some in Congress refuse to end the tax cuts for the very wealthy before the year ends, then the average family will pay $3,000 more per year in taxes. That's you. That's me. That's us.  This is the wrong direction.  Everyone should pay their fair share.

Each and every member of Congress needs to hear what's at stake for real families on Main Streets across the nation, not just from corporate lobbyists on K Street in Washington, D.C.

It's up to you.

*Can you stand up for families by delivering stories to your local member of Congress? 

Click here: http://www.momsrising.org/events/create_event/0/0

Our voices--and experiences--are needed to spark action in Congress to end the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy and to protect investments in the middle class.  And stories like these below are the kindle to fuel Congressional action on this issue.

“My husband and I make more than $250,000 and think we should pay more taxes. There are others who need more than we do. It's that simple.” – Lyn, Iowa

“For a year, my husband was unemployed as a result of his company downsizing. If he didn't have unemployment insurance, we would have lost our ability to pay our mortgage and would have lost our house. If not for Medicaid, our children (2 and 9 years old) would not have any healthcare. If not for food stamps, we wouldn't have had enough money to keep our family fed.  My husband is now employed again at his old job so he can once again contribute to the tax rolls. We are very thankful that the safety nets were there to help us survive this bad economy. If the tax cuts for the rich end, we can be assured that the programs will always be there to help the needy families and individuals, and they in turn will be able to survive when they lose their job, when their health fails, or when their senior citizen income can no longer support them.” - Diane, Idaho

In the last few days, MomsRising members have shared hundreds of moving stories like these – stories that illustrate how our family budgets can’t be stretched any farther in order to keep tax breaks for the wealthiest.

Who needs to read these stories? Members of Congress do! They (desperately!) need this real-life perspective as they decide whether to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans -- and to protect investments in working and middle-class families, as well as in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.

Can you help us deliver these moving stories to your member of Congress’ local office on (or around) Wednesday, December 5th?

Click here: http://www.momsrising.org/events/create_event/0/0

On December 5th, we'll have hundreds of moms in Washington, DC and around the country delivering the same message about protecting our families and the middle class to our leaders.

And we've made it easy for you to be a part of this important action!  We’ve created an organizing tool for you to sign up to host the delivery.  As a host, all you need to do is arrange the delivery time on or around December 5th.   MomsRising will do the rest – providing you the materials to deliver and inviting other MomsRising members in your area to join you.

Why is this so important now?  Personal visits from constituents are the most valuable tool we have to counter professional lobbyists who look out for the wealthy.  By showing up in person and bringing with you stories of real people, you are sending your member of Congress a loud and clear message that families are counting on them to do the right thing.

Don't forget to sign up now to deliver our MomsRising stories:

Click here: http://www.momsrising.org/events/create_event/0/0

This is the time for all of America's families to speak up about our nation's priorities!  By simply clicking the above link to do a delivery in your area, you'll join other mothers and families around the country to stand up for our families’ well-being and to counter corporate lobbyist efforts for the wealthy.

A lot is at stake in Congress:

• If the House and Senate don't reach a deal quickly, then massive across-the-board cuts, called sequestration, will begin in January. This could cost millions of jobs and hurt healthcare, education, aid to state and local governments, and other vital programs for kids and families like Head Start, child care, and food safety.

• What's at stake gets even trickier.  Some lawmakers are trying to use this high-stakes moment of legislative complexity as a way to sneak in drastic cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Our voices are needed to counter corporate lobbyists who are trying to help billionaires while moms and families on Main Streets across the nation struggle. We simply can't balance the budget on the backs of children, seniors, families, and those who are most in need.

Together, we've shown that we can make a huge difference in our nation's policies and to our elected leaders. Stand up and use your clout today for our children and families! And please click the Facebook and Twitter share buttons below to share this info with others you think might want to stand with moms and deliver these personal family stories to their local Congressional office too!

Thanks!

P.S. Want to hear from experts, economists, and advocates about what the "fiscal cliff" means to you?  Tune in to "MomsRising Radio with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner" here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/momsrising-radio-kristin-rowe/id533519537