Help Save Social Security... And Win A 311 Platinum Award

When we're getting to know candidates running for Congress, we ask them lots of questions about economic justice and, of course, we want to know where they stand on issues like Choice, the environment, war powers, domestic spy drones, marriage equality, campaign finance and the other big issues likely to come up for congressional debate. Truth be told, though, we really just want to figure out what's in their hearts and how they come up with their conclusions-- and how courageous they're likely to be.

Over the last couple of weeks, though, we've just been concentrating on just a single question over and above everything else. We want to know how candidates plan to handle the Obama-Boehner Chained CPI proposal to diminish benefits for the elderly and for veterans. We even have a special Act Blue page just for that.

The DCCC has warned their candidates to not discuss the issue and not tell anyone where they stand on it. So we're finding more than a few candidates who tell us that they don't know enough about it or that they have no opinion or that they'll get back to us or that the cell zone is bad and they can't understand. The progressive Democrats we did reach have all officially declared their candidacies for 2014. Some candidates still making up their minds-- like Rob Zerban (WI-01) and Lee Rogers (CA-25)-- have been adamant public opponents of Chained CPI. Both have told us in no uncertain terms that they would have immediately signed on to the Grayson-Takano NO CUTs letter, which dismisses Chained CPI and goes further in pledging not to cut benefits for seniors and veterans under Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Our little contest, though, only includes declared candidates-- and not incumbents, just challengers. Their quotes are all on this page. We'd like to know which approach you like best by asking you to read all the quotes and then giving a dollar to the candidate who you think best knocks the ball out of the park. The candidate who gets the most "votes" will get a $1,000 contribution from an anonymous Blue America donor. And everyone who participates will be eligible for a special prize.

We have a rare RIAA-certified platinum award donated to Blue America by a music business supporter for 311's eponymous third album. One of the donors for this-- our first contest of the 2014 cycle-- will get the platinum disc, which is not available commercially. The candidates are, alphabetically:

• Andrew Hounshell (OH-08)
• Daylin Leach (PA-13)
• Nick Ruiz (FL-07)
• Kenneth Sanders (TX-06)
• Carl Sciortino (MA-05)

Just vote with a contribution-- even one dollar counts-- and the candidate with the most "votes" gets a $1,000 check from Blue America... and you get a chance to win the 311 platinum award.