"Wake Up, Washington!" Month

A Speak-Out on Retirement Security

Date: 
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 (All day) - Friday, October 15, 2010 (All day)

Retirement USA – an initiative working toward a universal, secure, and adequate pension system for all Americans – is sponsoring “Wake Up, Washington!” Month, a speak-out about retirement security, which will take place from September 15 to October 15.  The month will be a time for Americans across the country to tell lawmakers to keep their hands off of Social Security and to fix our patchwork private retirement system.

While policymakers are thinking about budget deficits, millions of Americans face a massive and growing retirement income deficit – the gap between what people need for retirement and what they actually have.  The do-it-yourself approach of relying solely on 401(k) plans doesn’t work.  Employers are cutting back or dropping guaranteed pension plans.  Half of the workforce has neither a 401(k) nor a pension to supplement Social Security.  

The goal of “Wake Up, Washington!” is to tell lawmakers to pay attention to the growing retirement income crisis facing current and future retirees, to stop efforts to cut Social Security, and to call for a 21st century retirement system that is universal, secure, and adequate. 

The month will include a variety of activities:

  • A kick-off press conference on September 15;
  • An online Story Bank that collects personal stories from those who are concerned about their retirement prospects and those who feel secure about their retirement because they have a guaranteed pension;
  • Blog posts from participating organizations and individuals;
  • Facebook and Twitter posts to highlight the facts about the retirement income crisis.

The Story Bank is the centerpiece.  Only the people who know that we have a real retirement crisis can wake up Washington.  The stories will be posted on the Retirement USA website and used in communications with Congress to show the depth of the crisis.

Working Americans deserve a secure, comfortable retirement and they deserve a retirement system that they can count on.  Make your voice heard!

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