Dear 5849376, Unbelievable. Senator Rand Paul just launched an ugly attack on Social Security and on Americans living with disabilities. In an attempt to build support among extreme right-wing Republicans in advance of a likely presidential run, Senator Rand Paul told a group of New Hampshire Republicans that a majority of people who receive Social Security disability benefits are "gaming the system."1 We need to hold Senator Paul accountable for this factually untrue and patently offensive attack on Americans living with disabilities and our Social Security system. Sign the petition: Condemn Rand Paul's attack on disabled Americans and Social Security. Rand Paul's attack on Social Security and disabled Americans wasn't only heartless and offensive, it was also untrue. According to a report released in November by the Social Security Administration's Inspector General, fraudulent Social Security Disability Insurance claims are exceedingly rare – accounting for just 0.02% of all payments.2 And as Social Security Works Executive Director Alex Lawson noted recently, "America has one of the strictest disability standards in the developed world."3 This isn't the first time Senator Paul has attacked Americans living with disabilities. In a 2010 interview, Paul said he supports abolishing the Americans with Disabilities Act – the landmark 1990 legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability – because it isn't fair to business owners.4 Senator Paul's latest attack on Social Security and those who receive benefits is the latest salvo in a decades-long attempt by radical Republicans to defund, destroy or privatize our Social Security system. We're not going to let them get away with it. Tell Senator Paul: Stop attacking Americans with disabilities. Click here to sign the petition. Thanks for holding Senator Paul accountable. Josh Nelson, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: 1. "Paul: Some Game System to Get Undeserved Disability Payments," Associated Press, January 14, 2015. 2. "AP Reports that 99.8 Percent of Social Security Disability Payments Were Proper," Center for Economic and Policy Research, November 14, 2015. 3. "Statement on Sen. Rand Paul's Attack on Social Security and Americans with Disabilities," Social Security Works, January 14, 2015. 4. "Rand Paul Wants To Abolish The Americans With Disabilities Act, Citing Fairness 'To The Business Owner'," Think Progress, May 17, 2010. |