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All the smartest people in the executive suites just knew that the taste of Coca-Cola needed "reform." Rival Pepsi was advertising to the "New Generation" and Coke's executives came to believe their product wasn't what the "cool" people wanted to drink. Everyone they talked to at the executive-level strategery seminars, and all the other executive-level geniuses they spoke with daily agreed. They were the elites, and they all knew better than their old-fashioned, uncool customers what the company needed. So they all drank the Kool-Aid and came up with "New Coke." We all know what happened next. (Hint: it was bad.)

It couldn't have gone better for Pepsi if Pepsi had placed those executives there themselves.

Your Brand

In business there's this concept called "branding." A company or product is "known for" something, and the public expects that is what the company or product will do for them. If a company or product continues to deliver on what they are "known for" the customers remain loyal. If the company or product violates the expectations of the brand, the customers go somewhere else -- fast.

Democrats are "known for" fighting for working people, and fighting on We the People's side against corporate power. They are "known for" taxing the wealthiest and giant corporations so We the People can do things to make our lives better. (By the way, doing things to make our lives better is also called "government spending.")

Cutting Social Security?

If there is one thing that the Democratic Party is "known for" -- their "brand" -- it is starting, expanding and protecting Social Security. It was the New Deal and its government jobs programs for the unemployed, investment in infrastructure, heavily taxing the wealthy and corporations, but mostly Social Security that created "brand loyalty" for Democrats for generations.

Now this brand is at risk.

President Obama and some Democrats are now advocating cutting Social Security, to show they are "reasonable" and "reaching out" to Republicans, because Republicans want cuts to Social Security and other things We the People do to make our lives better. These "centrist" Democrats want to show the opinion elite and other strategerizers that they can be "bipartisan." After decades of cuts in taxes on the wealthy and corporations and cuts in the things We the People do to make our lives better they want to "meet halfway" and show they have "the courage" to cut Social Security.

Democrats who want to protect the "brand" of the Democratic Party, and keep the loyalty of We the People need to step up right now and avoid a "New Coke" rebranding of their party.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) circulated a letter that was signed by a majority of Democrats. That letter said, "we remain deeply opposed to proposals to reduce Social Security benefits through use of chained CPI" but it doesn't include explicit language pledging members to vote against a bill that includes chained CPI.

Another letter by Reps. Alan Grayson and Mark Takano is making the rounds and is more explicit. The Grayson-Takano letter says, "we will vote against any and every cut to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security," including "cutting the cost-of-living adjustments." Currently there are only 36 signatures on the Grayson-Takano Letter.

Tell Your Representatives And Senators To Pledge No Cuts To Social Security

Tell your representatives to pledge to protect Social Security. People utterly depend on the meager benefits they get from Social Security -- wealthy people do not utterly depend on a few pennies per dollar taxed from the highest incomes. (A 5% tax increase on people making $250,000 means that someone who makes $250,001 after all deductions pays an extra five cents in taxes.)

Click here and Tell Congress: Say No to Obama’s Social Security Cuts,

The President’s budget includes devastating Social Security cuts. But they will not become law if Congress rejects them. It’s up to us to speak out and let Congress know the public will punish any legislator that supports undermining Social Security. Use the form below to tell your senators and representative: Say no to Obama’s Social Security Cuts.

At our blog: Chained CPI: Wrong for Social Security

PCCC: Support The Grayson-Takano Letter

Elected Democrats, This Could Be You

Are you going to keep listening to all the "right people" who say "everyone knows entitlements have to be cut and corporate taxes have to be lowered" etc.? Or are you going to listen to We the People because democracy?

Just for fun:

February business headline: JCPenney Has Hired The 'New Coke' Mastermind To Help Turn Things Around

JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson announced on the company's Q4 earnings call that he has brought on former Coke marketing exec Sergio Zyman as an advisor as he tries to turn around the ailing department store.

... Johnson said on the company's Q4 earnings call ... Sergio has a unique ability to understand customers and as well as strategies that will succeed based on rapid fire test and response."

April business headlines:

J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson is out

JCPenney fighting for survival

Three More Top JC Penney Executives Have Left

Elected Democrats, this could be you. Are you in or out -- literally in this case?

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