By Laura Bonawits, Contributing Writer

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched the most current phase of its grassroots advertising campaign Tuesday—and, once again, Rep. Lou Barletta (R-11) is under fire.

Barletta is one of 10 Republicans nationwide that the DCCC is targeting in this segment of the “Drive to 25” campaign, charging him with supporting cuts to Medicare and Social Security in the GOP’s 2012 fiscal year budget.

The campaign is calling out Barletta, along with the other Republican House members, for “supporting [Republican Budget Chairman Paul] Ryan’s radical scheme to privatize Social Security and dismantle Medicare as we know it,” according to the press release.

“The DCCC will go district-by-district to stop Representative Lou Barletta and House Republicans’ plans to cut seniors’ hard earned benefits in the middle of a recession just so Big Oil companies can keep their taxpayer subsidies,” Jennifer Crider of  the DCCC said.

In a March 10 interview with The Associated Press,  Republican Budget Chairman Ryan said the Republicans’ budget calls for fundamental changes to Medicare and Medicaid. However, he said the details have not been worked out at that time. House Republicans plan to unveil the budget plan in three weeks.

Meanwhile, the DCCC is conducting automated phone calls, live phone calls, print ads, and e-mails to highlight Barletta as part of a majority of Republicans who are “pushing to cut seniors benefits in Social Security and Medicare.”

“Everyone knows that Social Security belongs to the people who worked their whole life to pay into the system,” the automated phone call text reads. “But Representative Lou Barletta wants to use Social Security and Medicare as a piggy bank for the government.”

In rebuttal, a Barletta spokesperson maintained that the campaign’s message is a distorted truth. “Representative Barletta only supports policies which protect our seniors’ benefits. While outside groups focus on distorting the facts, he will continue to work hard to create jobs, grow our economy, and ensure our children and grandchildren can look forward to a bright future,” Megan Sweeney, spokesperson, told PoliticsPA.

In addition to the phone calls and ads, the DCCC launched www.stopbenefitcuts.com, an action center for citizens to disagree with their representatives’ support for Social Security cuts. The site offers a field to write a letter to their representative and provides a printable pledge card for their member of Congress to sign.