Alliance for Retired Americans Blog

"Without Medicare, I would have been wiped out and deep in debt. I cannot imagine a world without it.”

A new report issued this week by Strengthen Social Security & the Alliance for Retired Americans shows Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid provide benefits to 1 out of every 9 residents in Maryland's 8th district and contribute $2.9 billion per year to 8th district’s economy.

The report comes out just as Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland’s 8th District finishes his work on the congressional Super Committee tasked with reducing the federal deficit.  The Committee must recommend at least $1.2 trillion in spending cuts by November 23.  The full Congress must then approve these recommendations by the end of the year, or it will trigger automatic deficit reduction.

On a conference call Wednesday, David Waugh, 80, of Bethesda explained the ways that Social Security and Medicare helps Americans who have worked hard all their lives. Waugh began paying into Social Security at the age of 16 when he worked a factory job. When he found himself a widower in his 40’s while working full-time, Social Security allowed him to continue working and put his kids through school. Waugh's family again received vital help from Social Security when one of David’s sons was disabled in adulthood. David is now a retiree and Social Security has again become a key part of his financial stability, along with with Medicare. Without Medicare, he would have been unable to afford his surgery and the treatment to help him recover from his recent had emergency surgery for a brain tumor. David Waugh said:

“Social Security has taken a burden from the family…I don’t know how I would plan my life without it. Without Medicare, I would have been wiped out and deep in debt. I cannot imagine a world without it.”

Nancy Altman, who participated in the call yesterday said:

“Too often political and media elites talk about these programs as just cold, unfeeling facts and figures, as if they are divorced from the people whose lives they touch.  Too often, the programs are talked about as ‘problems’ when in fact they really are ‘solutions’ – solutions that provide benefits that have been earned through the hard work of Americans.”

Although programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are widely scapegoated in federal deficit discussions, today’s report points out that they are not the true cause of the deficit. The report notes the large recent run-up in federal deficits resulted largely from 2001 and 2003 tax cuts; unpaid costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; the Great Recession which dramatically reduced tax collections, and the Wall Street bank bailout. Correspondingly, in seeking solutions to the federal deficit, the Super Committee should be looking at its causes and should not be cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which are absolutely vital to the economic security of this nation.

Highlights from the new report:

•    Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid spend a total of about $2.9 billion a year in Maryland’s 8th district, providing benefits to an average of 1 out of every 9 residents for each program.
•    Social Security provided benefits to more than 1 in 9 (12.2 percent) 8th district residents in 2010, with an average benefit of $14,368 per year.
•    Without Social Security, the elderly poverty rate in Maryland would increase from 1 out of 11 (9.2 percent) to one out of 3 (34.1 percent) residents.
•    Social Security never has and will never contribute to federal budget deficits because, by law, it does not have borrowing authority.
•    Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are a lifeline for residents of Maryland and the lifeblood of many small businesses, hospitals and nursing homes and home caregivers. Most of the jobs they create stay in America. Cutting these programs would threaten our families’ economic security and health and deepen our jobs crisis.
•    Two-thirds of all Medicaid spending is for seniors and people with disabilities. One out of every four (16 million) seniors and people with disabilities depended on Medicaid in 2010.

 Read the full report.

"Without Social Security, I would probably be homeless.” - Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid's Relevance for SC Revealed

A new report came out yesterday outlining the importance of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to residents in South Carolina’s 6th District and for the state’s economy.

Turns out, these three programs provide benefits to 1 out of every 5 residents and contribute $4.2 billion per year to South Carolina's 6th district economy alone.

This report comes out just as South Carolina Representative James Clyburn of the 6th District finishes his work on the congressional Super Committee tasked with reducing the federal deficit.  The Committee needs to recommend at least $1.2 trillion in spending cuts by November 23.  The full Congress must approve these recommendations by the end of the year, or it will trigger automatic deficit reduction.

Linda Pressley, a Nesmith resident, was on a press conference call Tuesday morning with the SC Alliance for Retired Americans and the Strengthen Social Security campaign. Pressley is just one South Carolinian who relies on Social Security. She worked hard for 17 years on assembly lines, spending the whole day on her feet in addition to serving as the primary caregiver for her father, mother, and nephew, who has mental health issues. Despite her need to stay in the workforce, Linda had surgery on both knees and can no longer do the work she’s trained to do. Without her job, her only income is Social Security long-term disability. This morning she said, “I’m one of the people who relies on Social Security to take care of myself. … Without Social Security, I would probably be homeless.”

Although programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are widely scapegoated in federal deficit discussions, today’s report points out that they are not the true cause of the deficit. The report notes the large recent run-up in federal deficits resulted largely from 2001 and 2003 tax cuts; unpaid costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; the Great Recession which dramatically reduced tax collections, and the Wall Street bank bailout. Correspondingly, in seeking solutions to the federal deficit, the Super Committee should be looking at its causes and should not be cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which are absolutely vital to the economic security of this nation.

Highlights from the new report:

• Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid spend a total of about $4.2 billion a year in South Carolina’s 6th district, providing benefits to an average of 1 out of every 5 residents for each program.
• Social Security provided benefits to 1 out of 8 (11.8 percent) residents in 2010, with a typical benefit received by a retired worker in South Carolina’s 6th district of $13,801. 
• Without Social Security, the elderly poverty rate in South Carolina would increase from 1 out of 9 (11 percent) to half of all (50.7 percent) residents.
• Social Security never has and will never contribute to federal budget deficits because, by law, it does not have borrowing authority. 
• Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are a lifeline for residents of South Carolina’s 6th district, and the lifeblood of many small businesses, hospitals, nursing homes and home caregivers. Most of the jobs they create stay in America. Cutting these programs would threaten our families’ economic security and health and deepen our jobs crisis.
• Medicare spending generally rises less than private health insurance. From 1997 - 2009, Medicare’s annual costs per beneficiary rose far less than those of private health insurance.  Cutting Medicare’s benefits simply shifts costs to the sickest and oldest among us, forcing some seniors and people with disabilities to forego treatment, living shorter, less healthy – and more medically costly – lives as a result.
• Two-thirds of all Medicaid spending is for seniors and people with disabilities. One out of every four (16 million) seniors and people with disabilities depended on Medicaid in 2010.

View New Report: Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid Work for South Carolina’s 6th District and America

Seniors active in Occupy Wall Street actions across nation

Retirees across the country are joining their younger counterparts in protests against Wall Street greed and failed economic policies.  Numerous events took place this weekend and will continue indefinitely.

Today marks Day 25 of "Occupy Wall Street" actions, spurred by the group Adbusters.

Phillip Meyers, active with the Alliance for Retired Americans in Georgia and the retiree chapter RUFF (Retirees Unite for the Future) reports that yesterday seniors were up bright and early to stake out the turf for the OCCUPY SAVANNAH rally yesterday and stayed despite steady rain and forceful winds. Several were interviewed here:

 

Florida weekend action

Find an #Occupy action near you here

Florida President says "Seniors Stand with Our Youth Opposing Wall Street Greed"

Post by Tony Fransetta

Tony Fransetta is President of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, with a membership of over 200,000 in the Sunshine State

By the time we reach our golden years, we are faced with issues from day to day can seem overwhelming.   However, with age comes wisdom, and many seniors in Florida know that we cannot afford to slow down or disengage.  Instead, we must remain involved in world events and the struggles our children and grandchildren undertake for a better future. 

The demonstrations on Wall Street over the past two weeks by our country’s young people are educating the public on the excessive greed of Wall Street, the outcomes of bailouts with our tax dollars, and the endless problems Wall Street continues to cause for working America. The actions of the anti-Wall Street protesters camped out in a Lower Manhattan park are now inspiring actions across the country and attracting broad-based backing from labor unions and community organizations. 

We told our children and grandchildren to go to school and get a good education.  For what? America is  failing these generations.  Where are the jobs?  Overseas. Where is the capital? In offshore accounts. 

It is clear that our enemies are not only on Wall Street, but are also the Members of Congress funded by that top 2%.  These politicians claim that the super-rich and largest corporations are “job creators” and shouldn't be asked to pay their fair share. We don’t buy it. The only jobs created by them are in China, Mexico, India, Cambodia, and elsewhere.

Our children and grandchildren cannot find dignified work, let alone hope to retire with dignity under the current system.  We must remain determined not just to create good jobs, but to protect the programs like Medicare and Social Security that have allowed Americans to retire with dignity.

Unfortunately, as big corporations and the super-rich shatter the dreams of our youth for a decent job, they are also actively working to destroy programs that are currently in place to assure them decent years later in life.  They spread lies about programs like Social Security, seeking to convert the program to a private account system. Good for Wall Street, bad for the financial security of our young people.

Like decent jobs, our youth need decent social insurance programs. Social Security is just another program that serves the 98% of our country and is under attack.  For 76 years, through good times and bad, Social Security has paid out every benefit owed to every eligible American.  It is completely solvent for the next 25 years. 

The most effective way to strengthen Social Security for many future generations is to raise the cap on payroll taxes that go to Social Security, currently capped at $106,800. Currenly, someone earning $106,800 pays the same amount of money into Social Security as billionaires like Bill Gates, because all income above that amount is exempt from the Social Security payroll tax.  As a result, 94% of Americans pay Social Security tax on all of their income, but the wealthiest 6% do not.

Fortunately, Senator Bernie Sanders, has introduced an important bill, the "Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act" which would scrap the payroll tax cap for those earning $250,000 per year or more.

However, too many of our elected officials are more concerned with their own elections than about speaking out on behalf of the people they represent in this critical and heartbreaking time.  Many refuse to show the kind of courage of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Senate candidate Elizabeth Warner in Massachusetts.  At least some real courage these days is coming from the youth who are piecing together who’s responsible for the mess we are in and speaking out against Wall Street greed and those who do the bidding of Wall Street.

We need to join the effort to help our children and give courage to our elected representatives to stand up for America's future.

Visiting and calling our elected representatives is absolutely necessary. But more than that, it is time to join our young people in the streets. It’s time to demand for a fairer economy and good jobs that will allow future generations to work and retire with dignity. 

[Image: Adbusters.org]

Alliance Rallies at on U.S. Capitol for “Jobs - Not Budget Cuts”

Alliance member Brenda Kelley Nelum of Woodbridge, Virginia spoke on Wednesday at the rally at on the U.S. Capitol, where activists told Congress to stop the job-killing budget cuts and take bold action to put Americans back to work.

Many of the protesters at the event were part of the #OccupyWallStreet movement that began two weeks ago in New York City.

Brenda Kelley Nelum said “I am honored to be here today with so many people who understand that it’s time for Congress to ACT to create jobs and get America’s economy moving again. And that it’s CERTAINLY NOT the time to cut our most meaningful programs like Social Security and Medicare!” She also got the crowd chanting “SENIOR POWER!” 

 

Photos