Alliance members scheduled over 70 district meetings with their elected officials for this week’s President’s Day Lobby Week. The appointments came as the Senate is set to vote next week - right after the Congressional recess ends - on a plan to stop the March 1 sequester (automatic budget cuts) without harming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
On February 14, Senate Democrats released their plan to avert the sequester for the rest of the year — it contains $110 billion in deficit reduction, evenly divided between spending cuts and new revenues. During Lobby Week, Alliance members have been asking senators to vote for this package and asking House members to vote for it should it come to the House.
Included in the Lobby Week events: a rally and petition drop outside House Speaker John Boehner's (R) office in West Chester, Ohio on Wednesday.
Among those at risk if the cuts come to fruition: homebound and disabled seniors behind closed doors – “the hidden hungry” across the U.S.A., according to Larry Tomayko, interim chief executive officer of the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). If congressional domestic-spending cuts take effect on March 1, MOWAA faces an estimated 5.1% reduction in Older Americans Act funding.
According to Americans for Tax Fairness, a recent Hart Research poll found that found that two-thirds of voters nationwide want the richest 2% (by 66% of voters) and large corporations (by 64% of voters) to pay more in taxes. The poll also found that 59% of voters say that we still need to do more to make sure the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes: .
Last Thursday, over 100 Alliance activists from across the country dialed in to hear from U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, about the critical issues of Social Security and pensions. The Senator took questions and spoke about his top legislative priority: Senate Bill 2252, the Rebuild America Act.
The Rebuild America Act includes a number of provisions that strengthen Social Security and retirement security (in addition to other measures that would help to rebuild the middle class). The bill would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund by phasing out the tax cap so that everyone pays their fair share into Social Security.
The Rebuild America Act will also change the benefit calculations for the annual cost-of-living adjustments or COLA for all Social Security programs by switching over to a price index that takes the expenses incurred by seniors into account. By adjusting the benefit formula, the RAA would increase Social Security benefits on average by $800 per year. Senator Harkin said, “Not only can we not cut Social Security, we have to increase Social Security benefits.” More on this legislation here.
Senator Harkin has showed a strong committment to seniors issues while in Congress. Alliance members were glad for the opportunity to hear from the Senator about this plan that would strengthen Social Security, retirement security and benefit the 99%. Learn more about the Rebuild America Act here.
Yesterday's landmark decision by the Supreme Court on the Affordable Care Act was well-received by Alliance members and seniors throughout the country.
Because of the ACA, in 2011, over 3.6 million seniors on Medicare saved a total of $2.1 billion on their drug costs, an average of $604 person. And over 32 million seniors received at least one new free preventive care benefit through Medicare.
Seniors throughout the state participated in press conferences and celebrations. Photos.
Wisconsin Alliance President Leon Burzynski commented, "Seniors have and will continue to benefit from the Affordable Care Act in many ways. It is a positive step forward for all older Americans, our children, grandchildren and generations to come."
Maryland/DC Alliance President Frank Stella said, "Maryland is a better place to live today, thanks to today’s Supreme Court decision. More than 750,000 older Marylanders will continue to receive improved health care because the court has upheld important advances in Medicare such as the closing of the doughnut hole in prescription drug coverage and the continuation of critical screening tests without deductibles and co-payments."
Here are some press clips and Alliance mentions
AZ Arizona Daily Star Republicans vow to repeal 'Obamacare': Politicians and candidates on both sides weigh in on constitutional issue, costs and fairness
Post by Asiah Gayfield, student at Butler University Indianapolis, IN
Social Security was on the minds of Alliance Members all over the country as they tuned to President Obama’s State of the Union address on January 25, 2011. Members gathered in living rooms, community centers, and restaurants to hear what the President would say about the state of the country, the growing national deficit, and if Social Security would play a part in helping to pay down that deficit (which Social Security does not and cannot by law contribute to).
Seniors citizens were no doubt relieved, and some where even moved to cheer, when the President declared “To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. We must do it…without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.”
The watch parties were not only a way for members to socialize as they watched the important event, but were also incubators of great discussions. One group of energized seniors in Gig Harbor, Washington spent three hours at their State of the Union gathering both watching and discussing the President’s speech, including their ideas about Social Security and health care reform. A group of senior activists in Toledo, Ohio made up their own criteria to grade the President on before his speech and stayed after to discuss what grade the President should receive. And another group in Tucson, Arizona were so inspired by the Presidents speech they decided they were going to follow up with their Member of Congress.
When asked about their opinions of the State of the Union address, party participants had great things to say. A retiree from Arizona exclaimed, “It was really positive – he’s on our side!” Another retiree from Washington summed up the whole speech by saying, “Obama hit that out of the park!” Many retirees even ventured out on a limb and tried their hand at new technologies by using the popular websites Youtube and Twitter to share their feelings about the State of the Union and the Republican responses. The Arizona Alliance, for example, tweeted on their Twitter account http://twitter.com/azretiredams while the Florida Alliance hosted a member teleconference call throughout the State of the Union Address and a press conference call afterwards. FLARA then posted video responses from members and part of the press conference call on YouTube here.
The success of the State of the Union watch parties underscores the value of holding such events because they are a mobilization tool to help organize seniors to discuss current events and respond to them as they happen, in real time.
Response from Doug Hart, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans President
Slideshow (watch parties & events across the country featuring AZ, CA, CT, IA, IN, NH, OH, TX & WA)
Photos: above at right ~ top to bottom: Connecticut, New Hampsire and Indiana Alliance parties
Social Security celebrates its 75th birthday today and Alliance activists and Americans nationwide continue celebratory parties and events.
The week of August 1st, Alliance members held several events in Arizona, Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina in advance of the birthday.
Last week, over 50 Alliance events took place in communities across the states, and festivities continue next week.
Social Security is a true American success story, one that has kept generations of seniors out of poverty, and allowed millions to retire with dignity and peace of mind. Because this landmark anniversary is tainted by the deficit commission's calls to cut Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age, Alliance activists are busier than ever staging events to celebrate and educate across the country. Check out very personal accounts from Alliance members about how Social Security has impacted their lives here.
Festivities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa recently helped spread the word that Social Security puts $7.2 billion into the Iowa economy by releases on Social Security matters coinciding with birthday celebrations. The Social Security Works for Iowa report adds, "Without Social Security, half (50.8) percent of Iowa women aged 65 or older would have incomes below the poverty line." U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) joined the celebration in Cedar Rapids and added his personal story about Social Security survivor benefits. The Congressman told attendees that without Social Security survivor benefits, he would not have made it through college. Other state reports here.
Yesterday, seniors in Omaha, Nebraska gathered to join the month-long, national commemoration of Social Security and the people it serves. ‘With more than 50 million people receiving Social Security benefits today, the program helps virtually every American family,” Donna M. McGrath, Secretary of the Nebraska Alliance said. “Beyond the candles and the cake, we have a more serious message – Social Security must be remain strong for current and future retirees.”
Members nationwide speak out on the issue. Here is Don Thacker from South Carolina:
Jo Price from Florida also shares her thoughts on Social Security:
Check out some news clips including interviews with Alliance members here:
Wisconsin
'Social Security celebrates 75 years' - Wisconsin Radio Network Billy Feitlinger is Executive Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. “We feel very strongly, if it is not the greatest program that the federal government has done, it’s clearly one of the most successful programs. And we feel very strongly right now that it’s under attack.
'A federal plan that works' - Toledo Blade letter from Sam Burnett Social Security has been the lifeblood of people age 65 and older. Without monthly Social Security payments, nearly half of Americans over 65 would live in poverty. Help us celebrate this successful government program, which is run by fine people who care about senior citizens.
This week's teletown hall event with President Obama, organized to clarify the new health reform law for seniors, was well-received by many seniors and Alliance members nation-wide.
The Alliance's Judy Cato attended the event in Wheaton, Maryland; and the Alliance hosted over 25 watch-and-call-in parties in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvani and South Carolina.
Photos. [Top left: Obama at tele-town hall in Wheaton MD courtesy National Council on Aging (NCOA) Bottom left: DesMoines, Iowa event.]
Barbara Franklin, President of the Illinois Alliance, was the first phone call accepted. She asked President Obama about whether or not changes in Medicare Advantage overpayments would result in a reduction in care for seniors. Obama replied that this was one of the more common myths about health reform (in addition to death panel concepts), and explained what the new health law does to sustain Medicare.
Elmer Blankenship said in response to Obama's tele-town hall,
As a retired Auto Worker and a member of The Indiana Alliance for Retired Americans, I was one of the seniors here in Indianapolis that watched President Obama’s June 8 town hall forum on CSPAN to learn more about how the new health reform law will benefit seniors and retirees.
The new law will help retirees better afford to see a doctor and fill their prescriptions. Seniors who fall into the “doughnut hole” coverage gap in Medicare Part D will, starting this week, receive a $250 rebate check from the government. That may not sound like much, but for many Seniors, it can be the difference to getting needed medicine.
Seniors are starting to benefit with free annual check-ups in Medicare, ending co-payment for preventative screenings, allowing children up to age 26 to be covered on their parents policy and in many other ways. I thank President Obama for his efforts to end the myths and scare tactics around health reform and giving America’s seniors the facts.
Ken Sagar and Midge Slater reported from Iowa that the consensus from seniors gathered at the tele-town hall sites was that "President Obama should do more town hall meetings to inform Americans of the content of the new health care program and to dispel the falsehoods being spread by tea party and other malcontents. Many people indicated that they learned quite a bit from the discussion."
At a special event on Tuesday, June 8, Alliance members are invited to ask the President health care questions by telephone!
A few members of the Alliance will be attending the event - which will include information on benefits for seniors under the new health care law - live, in Wheaton, Maryland. Other members are invited to ask the President questions by phone.
This one-time, national "tele-town hall" can also be seen and heard on television by watching C-SPAN, or on-line via web streaming at www.healthreform.gov.
If you live in one of the following communities and would like to join a local watch party, please contact us at:
Iowa - Dubuque, Des Moines, Waterloo Missouri - St. Louis New Hampshire - Nashua, Manchester New Mexico - Albuquerque North Carolina - Raleigh Ohio - Ashtabula South Carolina - Columbia
In addition, several of our allied unions are sponsoring events. Currently, we are aware of an AFT-sponsored event in Latham, NY and an event in Las Vegas sponsored by IUPAT. A number of other unions will be sponsoring events, and a more complete list will be available later today.
The live event is scheduled to begin at 11:15 AM on Tuesday and will last one hour.
The President will also be joined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Topics to be covered will include the $250 checks for seniors caught in the Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" coverage gap, and efforts to combat scams associated with those checks.
Watch this video/slideshow highlighting Alliance members from DC, CT, FL, IA, MD, MO, NC, NH, NM, & TX who worked hard to pass a health reform bill that would close the donut hole; cover preventive services; cover early retirees and more. Thanks to them for reaching out and fighting to get the job done.
Iowa Alliance urges health reform that does not tax middle class benefits. They support the House version of taxation versus Senate version. Read post.
Nevada Alliance urges Senator Reid to push a final health reform bill that adopts the House's more affordable premiums for lower middle income families. Read post.
Nevada Alliance President responds to Sen. Ensign's position on the health bill. Nevada Alliance President Scotty Watts said, “This bill will hold insurance companies accountable." (...) “We have 16,000 members and I deal with seniors on these issues every day. This (bill) is not just something I want, but something they need.” (In the article, the number is misprinted at 1,600) Article here.
