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, Alliance members joined activists and allies at over 40 events across the country – urging Members of Congress to keep the promises they made during the election season – to expire the Bush Tax Cuts for the top 2% and protect the promises of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
The election is behind us but the threat is ahead. In order to avoid budget cuts scheduled for January 1, Members of Congress are working to broker a deal. It must not be a deal that works against the issues we fought for all of this year in the lead-up to the election!
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid were indeed at the forefront of this year’s debates; Americans spoke out and they chose many candidates who promised to protect these critical programs. Our work is not done, we need to make sure elected officials KEEP THEIR PROMISE to expire Bush Tax Cuts for the top 2% and protect our programs – Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Protesters all across the U.S. gathered on Wednesday outside congressional offices and released short web advertisements targeting Republican economic plans. The protests attacked the Romney-Ryan Plan to make permanent the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. GOP lawmakers who recently voted to extend the tax cuts were also targeted. The protesters brought with them large five-foot wide checks demonstrating the large sums that would be given to millionaires and billionaires if the Bush tax cuts were extended. The ads and protests were organized by groups including the Alliance for Retired Americans, Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund, Health Care for America Now, Working America, and others.
Over 125 Ohioans attended the Ohio Alliance convention in Columbus on Wednesday, then turned words into action, participating in four tax fairness events throughout the state – three at Sen. Rob Portman’s offices and one at Rep. Bill Johnson’s.
On Wednesday, supporters of President Obama’s health care law and the Democratic leadership from the House of Representatives gathered at the Capitol building for a press conference to hold the Republicans accountable for voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Alliance Regional Board Member and retired social studies teacher Bill Cea spoke on behalf of the Alliance, saying of the Affordable Care Act, “Not only is this good for your health, but it is also good public policy.”
Other Regional Board members showed their support by attending and speaking out - including Sam Burnett, Tim Foley, Larry Malone, James Parent, Nancy True, Jody Weinreich, Marty Alvarado, Kenneth Stevens, Emmett Sheppard, JoEtta Brown, Louie Duran, John O'Brien and Mack Goodman.
The press conference was organized by the Democratic House leadership: Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) and Assistant Leader James Clyburn (SC). The three Representatives had strong words for their Republican colleagues, who voted to repeal the ACA, 244-185. Five Democrats joined the full Republican caucus in voting in favor of repeal; no GOP lawmakers crossed the aisle. For a complete tally of the vote, click here .
This week's vote was the 33rd attempt by congressional Republicans to repeal this law, a law that in the past two years has been approved by both houses of Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court. It is time to move on.
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
The conservative 60 Plus Association brought its "Healthcare Freedom" bus tour through Ohio yesterday, touting what they believe is wrong with the Affordable Care Act. David Friesner, President of the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, responded to the tour:
60 Plus is an organization set up to try to scare seniors. They have received several “Pants on Fire” ratings from Politifact, most recently on June 5, 2012 by the Cleveland Plain Dealer while examining a television ad buy of $720,000 aimed at Senator Sherrod Brown.
This bus tour repeats all of the hyperbolic falsehoods already examined by Politifact. We are concerned that seniors might be misled by these tactics. Instead of Pat Boone’s false claims about the Affordable Care Act, we at the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans know that the ACA strengthened Medicare and offers Medicare beneficiaries with better coverage than they had previously, such as preventative testing and closing the Medicare Part D doughnut hole. We are confident that if the press researches the statements offered during the 60 Plus bus tour, they will show these statements are misleading at best – and likely would be rated “Pants on Fire”.
This week, "Nuns on the bus," a group of Catholic nuns, continued their trip through the Midwest as part of their mission to "stand with people in need and to be witnesses for economic justice." In this case, it means speaking against the Paul Ryan Republican budget which would "harm people who are already suffering," while rewarding wealthy individuals and large corporations.
The nuns are on a tour from Des Moines to D.C., stopping for press conferences and visits to the offices of Members of Congress who voted for the disastrous Ryan Budget. Ohio Alliance members turned out to support the nuns in Cincinnati for their press conference near Congressman Steve Chabot’s office.
The nuns' major beef with the Ryan Budgetis that it would "raise taxes on 18 million hardworking low-income families while cutting taxes for millionaires and big corporations, push the families of 2 million children into poverty," and that it would "kick 8 million people off food stamps and 30 million off health care."
Sister Simone Cambell said, "What we're lacking is not money. We're lacking political will."
Although the nuns caught flack from the Vatican and U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops focusing too much on serving the poor and suffering, and not enough on condemning gay marriage and abortion - they could not be deterred.
Newsclip from stop in Paul Ryan's own district last week:
Yesterday, hundreds of retirees and workers alike cheered as the referendum on Ohio’s controversial collective bargaining law was officially certified for the November ballot, with tens of thousands of signatures to spare. Over 1.3 million total signatures were turned in last month to put the referendum on the November ballot to overturn Senate Bill 5's drastic actions.
In the morning, the Ohio Alliance's Norm Wernet sat on the Ohio AFL-CIO Community Allies Roundtable yesterday morning with AFL President Trumka and a wide variety of community organizations including: NAACP, Union Veterans, African American Greek Fraternal Organizations, Community for Change Ohio, A Phillip Randolph, pastors, and others. All parties present were there to talk about how and why they are fighting for economic justice through the ballot campaign to repeal Senate Bill 5, which would strip public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights.
Wernet said:
It is a simple math, better wages and working conditions means a chance at retirement. Lower wages and benefits and unsafe working conditions mean less security and less of a chance at retirement or a life after work plays out.
Bargaining in the workplace is an American tradition part of building out our democracy. Retired trade union workers know democracy at work has to be defended for all who work. Retired workers public and private fought for those basic rights at work and SB5 moves the clock backwards.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s many public worker wages were so low that you could work 30 - 40 years and still be in poverty in old age and qualify for Aid for the Aged. I know because I took their applications in the welfare department. ... Public workers lived in or near poverty after we got too old or disabled to work.
This spring Ohio Alliance for Retired American leaders organized members and joined the repeal drive without being asked or prodded because: An injury to one is an injury to all.
If you are a steelworker, an auto worker, a chemical worker, a telephone worker, or even a public worker, we have all seen retirement security eroded by mis-management, bankruptcies, stock market manipulation and bad business deals gone wrong. Bargaining needs to be strengthened for all workers not diluted.
The bargaining law did not cause the state’s fiscal issues. The lack of work did. The People’s veto of SB5 is essential to protecting all who want to live into a life after a life of work.
The Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, its leaders and members, are ready to engage this campaign for basic rights at work and a reasonable standard of living.
That evening, a town hall meeting in Columbus drew a large crowd who heard from AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka and Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga about next steps with the referendum to repeal the anti-collective bargaining Senate Bill 5. Alliance President Barbara Easterling joined the town hall via tele-conference call which included an additional 70,000 on the line. The town hall event kicked off the campaign to defeat the statewide assault on civil rights at the polls in November. Easterling said, “Our Ohio chapter has over 270,000 members and nearly 100 groups, and we will do everything we can between now and November.”
Photos: Norm Wernet from town hall in Columbus. Top: 3 Akron retirees; Bottom: Retired Steelworkers from Columbus
On Thursday, the Ohio Alliance participated in a “Don’t Make Us Work ‘Til We Die” demonstration and news conference targeted at Representatives Patrick Tiberi and Steve Stivers as they return to Congress after voting for the Ryan Budget plan. Demonstrators ranged from under one-year-old to their late sixties. HCAN partner Ohio Communities United, and Progress Ohio helped to bring Ohioans together for this cause.
OARA President David Friesner said, “We are here today to challenge Congressmen Pat Tiberi and Steve Stivers for voting to make older Americans work until we die. The House budget plan proposes harmful actions to America’s productive workers now and in the future. We think that is wrong.
“Without Medicare Most Older Ohioans would Have No Health Insurance. The House budget plan, supported by Congressmen Tiberi and Stivers, does away with traditional Medicare and instead gives retirees and seniors vouchers for a fixed-dollar amount to buy health coverage on their own. Who can afford an individual private plan now with pre-existing conditions? Our children and grandchildren certainly will not have the savings to cover the ever-rising premiums the House budget proposes.”
Bruce Bostick, USW retiree and OARA activist pointed out the irony involved in Tiberi and Stivers’ votes to decimate Medicare while preserving tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and largest multinational corporations. He said, “This week marks the 10th anniversary of the passage of the Bush Tax Cuts, which have added $2.6 trillion to the public debt. Rather than eliminating these tax cuts, which mostly went to people making more than $645,000 a year the Republican budget aims to achieve $4.5 trillion in savings by cutting services and programs that primarily benefit the middle class. Of that amount, $4.2 trillion, is used to fund more tax cuts to the richest individuals and companies rather than actual deficit reduction.”
Some questions raised for Congressman Tiberi on the Medicare and Medicaid related to the Ryan Budget passed by the House:
Medicare’s administrative costs are a mere 3%, while private insurance companies spend between 15% and 20% on administrative costs. In light of this, would you support turning Medicare over to private insurance companies?
Under the House-passed Ryan Budget, Medicare would slowly be privatized and the average senior would be left with annual out-of-pocket costs of $20,700 by 2030 to cover their health insurance. Do you support ending Medicare as we know it and replacing it with a privatized voucher program that shifts costs on to the backs of seniors?
Medicaid pays for 62% of all long-term care services in the U.S., including nursing home and in-home care, for millions of elderly and people with diabilities. The House-passed Ryan Budget, which block grants Medicaid, would force Medicaid programs to drop coverage for millions of vulnerable seniors and dramatically increase costs for those still covered. Would you support a proposal that block grants Medicaid knowing that it would leave so many seniors out in the cold?
Jean Fightmaster has been retired for over four years but remembers the days before collective bargaining in Ohio. Terrible working conditions and issues with safety were common. Sexism, racism and favoritism in the workplace were the order of the day. “I remember when multiple female co-workers, who had more experience and seniority, were passed up for promotions, and instead the jobs were given to less experienced men,” said Fightmaster.
Jean Fightmaster – a retiree from OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11 – started her public service career in 1978 at Franklin County Human Services in the clerical department then moved her way up the ladder – while raising three kids – to become an investigator for the state, tracking welfare fraud and food stamp eligibility. Fightmaster moved over the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) in 1988, where she served as an investigator until she retired in 2006. At the BWC, she investigated fraud in workers’ compensation claims but also worked with families, affected by a death on the job, to assist with their claims. “Our job was to be impartial in order to protect the interests of Ohio taxpayers, but also to protect the families affected by these devastating losses,” said Fightmaster.
Fightmaster is concerned that Senate Bill 5 will lower the bar for all workers in the state. “It is a slippery slope,” said Fightmaster. “I remember the horrible things co-workers and friends went through before the collective bargaining law was passed. The law has stopped a lot of those abuses and helped to improve conditions, not only for firefighters, sanitation workers, case managers, and other public service workers, but for workers in the private sector as well. That is why this law is so dangerous – because it puts all workers at risk.”
As a retiree, Fightmaster is also concerned about the effect the bill will have on retirement security for workers and the hit local economies will take from the loss of retiree spending. “This bill is an attempt to destroy unions entirely and will take away workers’ voices on issues like retirement, which is an important part of all local economies in Ohio,” said Fightmaster. “Like my husband and I, Ohio retirees tend to stay in Ohio and spend their money in their communities. If this bill passes, though, it could put at risk billions of dollars that keep Ohio small businesses running.
