AMAC In The Media / Press Releases

AMAC: Congress Handed Us a ‘Bungee Cord’ to Help the Nation Survive the Fall Off the Fiscal Cliff

‘It will pull us back up to the top of the cliff, but the question is can we survive the fall a second time?’ –

BOHEMIA, NY, Jan 4 – The nation “bungee jumped off the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Day.”

That’s the way Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens, described the legislation passed by Congress to avert financial calamity as President Obama prepares to kick off his second term.

“We took the leap, alright, but the bungee cord that Congress handed us at the eleventh hour saved our necks for the time being.  It will pull us back up to the top of the cliff, but the question is can we survive the fall a second time?  Meanwhile, far from protecting the nation from a whole slew of new taxes, the fix our lawmakers patched together actually increases the tax burden for all Americans,” according to Weber.

“And, while the notorious 2% that the President allegedly singled out for tax increases in the New Year may well be able to afford a hike, the rest of us 98 per centers in the lower brackets can ill afford to shell out more in order that the administration can continue its spending spree.”

The AMAC chief said that he fears the next four years will be a redux of the Obama administration’s first term.  “He will continue seeking to use his Senate majority to force the nation to accept socialist ideologies and to abandon the values and principles that helped the U.S. to thrive for two and a quarter centuries.”

Weber acknowledged the Republican majority in the House and said that it is up to them to offer strong, loyal opposition in Congress if we are to prevent “a cataclysmic change” in our way of life.  Meanwhile, he said, we need to offer support for those lawmakers who are willing to wage a successful resistance movement.

AMAC will be there, he said, exerting its influence where it can in Washington.  And, he said that the association’s membership should do what they can as individuals to exert influence in their communities.

“There are many challenges ahead for the nation, not the least of which are crushing debt and Social Security and Medicare reform.  Thus, we urge lawmakers in the House to put up a valiant fight for significant government spending cuts when it comes time to increase the debt ceiling in the coming months.  And, they must use what leverage they have to address the pressing need for reforms that will ensure the viability of Social Security and Medicare for our children and grandchildren.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Dan Weber is available for telephone interviews on this issue.  Please contact John Grimaldi at 917-846-8485 or to set up a chat.






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I can recall being a young, impressionable girl in Junior High and High School wondering just WHY the Roman Empire and all those others, fell and lost their way. Now, I’m 3 days from 66 years of age and have a birds eye view of what happened to all those empires. The people who struggled to get the freedoms from government control, did well. They pro-created, and eace generation HAD to give their kids MORE than what they had when they were in their glorious growing years. My kids, and problablly your kids, can’t remember just playing this a roll of farm fencing wire or having a hand pump to put air in the worn out basketball that they used to play HORSE. Nor do they recall running barefoot over the freshly plowed fields and feeling like they were a “beautiful butterfuly” full of strength and sunshine and that they… Read more »

Milos Mikos

I have posted this elsewhere and now will here, a simple explanation as to what the country has become:

July 4, 1776…brave Americans declare “Independence Day” and fight a war for their freedom.

November 6, 2012…duped Americans, without so much as a slap fight, willingly vote that freedom away…essentially
declaring “Dependence Day”.

The fact that any more than 10% of the people would vote for Obama tells me it is likely that the United States has indeed over extended its’ 200 years and will never recover. Obama has accomplished his “fundamental transformation”…from America to a Socialist/Marxist state. Too many voters are utterly clueless as to what is being done, and to what they did in voting for Obama and his ilk. Time will tell..hope I am wrong.

David Cole

All I know is that I am sick and tried of hearing the term Fiscal Cliff. Let us call it by the name that we really know to be true. A Gallows. The noose is around ours neck and Washington is the hang man. His hand is on the trap door lever and any moment now we are goners. If you have read Revelation in the Bible it tells us that your leader will be like fools. This has come to past. You know this true because we see it every day in Washington. So please enough with the term Fiscal Cliff.

ralph jefford

i agree that we need to reevaluate all people drawing disability or unemployment benefits.Newt gingrich had it right when he said he would make able bodied people work or learn a vocation while drawing benefits.a lot of people that are disabled are still able to perform some form of work,i know this because i have worked alongside of them and so have you.I believe the first place to cut spending should be to get out of the worthless UN or at least renegotiate our fair share.As long as were making cuts lets start looking at the EPA,DEPT OF EDUCATION,DEPT OF ENERGY,,FDA ETC.ETC.There is alot of fat in these govt agencies and they just keep getting much money is being spent under the ruse of protecting our borders?Do we see fewer illegal immigrants?are we safer?The mexican drug cartels are moving there head quarters north of the borders.homeland security keeps getting… Read more »

Paul Pilgrim

The people who don’t work for a living outnumbered those who work and pay the taxes; and, at election time it was demonstrated how the tail wags the dog. The cutoff line will be lowered so that more and more “rich” people are squeezed harder and harder. What happens when the remaining few who work simply say “take this job and shovel it”? Is it any wonder that ammo sales are through the roof? Protection is though one on everybody’s minds now.

Angela M. Rosati

It was reported that obama’s vacation cost $4 million. He also gave congress a raise! I’m 83 y o and my COLA increase was a big $19. Gee, I feel so guilty. Maybe I can offer the poor, overworked congressmen my COLA? Yes, the congressmen/women are overworked! They just recently okayd aid to New Jersey for Sandy, the hurricane, which took place on OCT. 29, 2012. All these poor guys had to do was wait until God sent another hurricane to sweep up the mess. Sheesh!
Shame on them. obama has bullied the congress to do his bidding or else. Or else what?? I can’t write anymore; I’m shaking.

Dave Carpenter

I am disgusted with the entire bunch of selfish, dishonest, unethical and disloyal to the Constitution, career politicians and their supporters! For way too many years, We the People have been lead down the road to the point of becoming Peons to the Elitest Politicians. Yes a good share of the US population falls into most of this description as well because they have a “Feed me first, instant gratification and someone else needs to pay for me” attitude! There is nothing honest or logical in the US fiscal system. Those who have cause the problem are in charge of fixing it? How stupid! The Democrats raised the debt ceiling by 5 trillion dollars less than 4 years ago, Congress caused the housing crash with unsound economic rules for banks and investments, Congress fraudulently passed the obamacare debacle without reading or understanding it, Congress continues to ignore the Constitutional separation… Read more »


Yes, the 2% can afford to pay a little more. That was never, ever the question. The question, really, is WHO will spend the 2% money better, the one who earned it or the ones who steal it? Will Government use that new tax money to hire more Government workers? To bolster unions? To pay those who can’t or won’t work (and produce)? If the Federal Government is the entity that spends dollars most wisely, shouldn’t we all just give them our paychecks, even our savings, and let them spend it, let them decide what part of that money each citizen and each state should receive? If not, shouldn’t we try to give them only enough dollars to support Government’s NECESSARY functions? As then-President Clinton told a gathering of Rich Fat Cats years ago, “Yes, I could have let you keep more of your money. But what if you didn’t… Read more »


Why is it that they always blame SS for budget problems? Is this not a true “entitlement”? We paid into, are forced to pay into it for our retirement, so are we not entitled to draw it out? Why is it we do not hear about cutting back welfare spending? Why do we not see using the welfare recipients to fill in the gaps? Why can they not work for thier money? What is wrong with having them pick up the litter along side the road? How about being able to keep open state & city parks by having them work at them? They can clean bathrooms, mow the grass, fix a leaky roof or pipe. Why do we always avoid taking money from them? Why do we think that they need a free ride? Are they too good to work these positions? My other thought is, can we get… Read more »


I agree that the disability needs to be tightened. I personnalyl know of two relatively healthy people for years on social security disability that have owned 14 rental properties for years. Somehow the income received from this property is not included in counting income to reduce or eliminate the disability.
This is not SSI but regular social security disability. Apparently these two people are healthy enough to manage these rental properties but, theoretically, not healthy enough to work in their original employment. Basically even with 14 properties (which is a form of business) they are allowed to double dip.


Welfare is not addressed because a large majority of Dem voters reside there. The more people that can be weakened, the stronger the Socialist movement by the Dems will be. I’m not sure that Congress actually knows what is going on and the consequences, but Obama does and he is happily dancing all the way towards his goal. Like the Pied Piper, he has so many rats following along that he is getting his way much too often. The news media is in his pocket. Why not just turn off the news–at least the nationals? If people were not watching, the advertisers would pull out. It’s a disgrace that he has spent $20 million on a vacation when he has run up so huge a debt. Seems like he is on some sort of welfare, too, doesn’t it? Until “We, the people” realize we are the employers and have the… Read more »


Here’s what will happen in the debt ceiling talks: 1) The House Republicans will make a lot of noise above “getting our spending under control”. 2) The Republicans will parade the usual members before the public to make the usual “what we should do to fix our out of control debt problem”, all the while offering no specifics on what they would vote to cut. Lots of words, but not actually saying anything. No real unified strategy developed beforehand. Just each member shooting from the hip, trying to make himself or herself look good before the cameras. 3) Obama will sit back, as he did in the fiscal cliff talks, and watch the Republicans fight amongst themselves. He will of course schedule a few news conferences to deliver the same scare speech over and over again to the American people about the dangers of not increasing the debt ceiling to… Read more »

Bill O'Brien

Social Security and Medicare should be addressed, but not in the way being proposed. Social Security needs to restructure to eliminate paying for those claiming disability. That is what disability insurance is for. Furthermore, those now on disability need to lose it when they start receiving a social secuirty retirement benefit. Currently, they receive both. Medicare keeps reducing benefits to those who paid into it. They should have a “means” test, but that “means” test should be to charge higher premiums to those who led unhealthy lifestyles. If you want to smoke, overeat or drink, take illegal drugs, stay fat and unfit, then you should pay a lot more in premiums. When one’s auto or homeowner’s claims are high or more frequent, those premiums are greater. Why not Medicare for unhealthy lifestyles? Furthermore, our country can reduce its debt by disallowing pork from all spending bills and eliminating foreign aid… Read more »

judith m olson

i dont believe this is the second time, i would say more than two times obama has done the 11th hour stunt, only to have the house present options, then have the senate not even bring them to the floor for vote…it appears that this latest travesty will only continue to put our country further in the hole…i would like to see the republicans/conservatives take the reins on this issue and not back down to the dems and obama every time. the concessions made were much greater than anything gained during this latest dog and pony show. why isnt welfare being addressed? although it is not reported as such, i believe it is one of the largest expenditures, if not the largest, eventhough they claim medicare and social security are.