The Problem:

President Bush proposed a scheme to privatize Social Security which would have meant massive benefit cuts for most Americans, exploded the national debt, impose undue risk through uncertain stock market investments, and devastated state economies.

The Solution:

The coalition formed to defeat President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security Americans United to Protect Social Security was a national coalition formed from over 200 organizations and individuals that united under one effort to protect the most successful retirement program in our nation's history.

Americans United to Protect Social Security ran a full scale national campaign with ground operations in 35 states and earned and paid media campaigns nationwide.

Hildebrand Tewes beat back the effort launched by President Bush and his right wing allies in Congress to privatize Social Security. Americans overwhelmingly agreed that privatizing Social Security that would slash benefits and jeopardize the very future of Social Security. As a result of our campaign, support for privatization was driven down to miniscule levels and President Bush and his allies in Congress were forced to abandon their effort to privatize Social Security last fall.

The Result:

Paul Tewes and Steve Hildebrand managed the campaign that put a nail in the coffin of President Bush’s scheme to privatize Social Security which would have dismantled Social Security as we know it, spelled benefit cuts for most Americans, introduced undue risk into our safety net and pushed many citizens into poverty.

Americans United to Protect Social Security unified progressives and their allies on Capitol Hill, splintering Republicans and weakening the President’s standing with the public. For the first time in his Presidency, President Bush faced a unified opposition on a major policy priority and was defeated and forced to retreat on the issues in very short order.

“Democrats made huge gains in the mid term elections for a variety of factors…but the victory had its roots in that early and successful battle against Social Security reform, which gave Democrats crucial unity and momentum at a time when many pundits were predicting a permanent Republican majority” --- Boston Globe, November 12, 2006