Last week, about 500 active senior delegates from across the nation and from many backgrounds joined together in Washington, D.C. for the Alliance Legislative Conference.
Attendees heard from strong political and labor leaders like Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Richard Trumka, Mary Kay Henry, John Sweeney, Randi Weingarten, Gerald McEntee, Dennis Van Roekel and others on issues of importance to them. Singer and activist Judy Collins offered entertainment, while Robert Adler from the Consumer Product Safety Commission provided helpful tips to seniors.
Sessions like "Using Facebook to Communicate" and "Senior Fraud Patrol: Let's Stop Medicare Fraud" were popular stops in the breakout session circuit.
An entire afternoon was dedicated to lobbying on Capitol Hill. Alliance members who are active year-long in their states around issues like preserving Social Security and Medicare got to visit their Representatives' national offices and discuss these issues with Members of Congress or their staff.
Al Hamai - President of the Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans - President's Award
Tony Fransetta - President of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans - President's Award
Gerald McEntee - President of AFSCME - Leadership Award
Nancy Pelosi - Democratic Leader, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives - Leadership Award
Pictured: Top: Texas Alliance for Retired Americans' Bob Feltzke & Sarah Carothers; Bottom: Texas Alliance delegation visits Congressman Al Green at his D.C. office.
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.
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.
Earlier this week, Linda Chavez-Thompson announced that she's running for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Texas.
Chavez-Thompson has a long history in the labor movement. Although she retired from her post as Executive Vice-President of the AFL-CIO in 2007, she continues her involvement in activism and politics. Chavez-Thompson is Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee and is a member of the board of trustees of United Way of America.
As a Latina, Ms. Chavez-Thompson serves as role model for other women of color, and for all the women who comprise a growing share of labor union membership.
Saturday the US Senatevoted to move forward on debating health insurance reform and seniors nationwide are optimistic about the possibility of a strong health insurance reform making it through the legislative process by end of year or early 2010.
The last several months have been filled with grassroots actions mobilized by savvy seniors in every part of the country.
Last week, Texas labor leader E. Dale Wortham wrote the following which reflects the dire circumstances and hope for the nation as a reform bill progresses:
Finally, health care reform that works. The health reform bill that just passed the House of Representatives is good for Houston and good for America.
America's got health problems, and Texas has more problems than just about anywhere.
Fact: 28 percent of Texans do not have health coverage. That's the highest rate in the country. We're talking about more than 6 million of our neighbors, a big bunch of them here in Houston
Fact: The number of uninsured Texans is climbing. It went up 10 percent last year and is still climbing.
As the holidays approach, Alliance retirees reach out to their elected officials to thank them for supporting health insurance reform so that their families can see a doctor and get their prescriptions filled.
Last weekend, Texas Alliance President Annie Banks addressed a state-wide rally for health care at the Capitol in Austin. She drew great applause for her speech and for showing the important relationship between retirees and the rest of America needing health care reform.
Banks is featured in a video posted on the world wide web here. Another Texas Alliance officer, Secretary Gene Lantz, is also featured in the video.
A central speech was by Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who celebrated the successful passage of a health care reform bill in the U.S. House. Highlights of Doggett's speech can be accessed here.
Doggett urged the crowd to make no concessions in their demand for decent health insurance reform.
The Alliance's National 2010 Convention will kick-off our efforts to build the grassroots organizing power of retirees for the 2010 elections. Voters across the country will decide who will represent them in Congress and state capitols, and the retiree voice must amount to a mighty roar on Election Day.
Please join us for workshops and training sessions to strengthen our organizing and advocacy skills. We will hear from leading experts in public policy, health care, aging, and the media.
For more information, please use the following links:
Last week Sen. Max Baucus released his Senate Finance Committee's long-awaited version of health care reform. Regrettably, it is a deeply flawed bill which fails to meet the criteria set forth by President Barack Obama for meaningful reform.
There are some very troubling key provisions in this bill which would place an enormous and unfair burden on working people and older Americans, while letting insurers and employers off scot-free
The excise tax on certain "high-cost" health plans makes a lie of the promise that people will be able to keep the coverage they have now. There is virtually no employer responsibility to provide coverage or pay into a fund so their workers can get a subsidy when purchasing coverage on their own. The only employer requirement is minimal, calling on employers to pay up to $400 for any worker who has to obtain a subsidy to get insurance.
The Baucus bill fails to provide a public health insurance plan as was included in the House bills. The problem with state and regional co-ops is that they would not have enough market "clout" and absolutely no ability to drive down overall health care costs.
Now, during the "mark up" of the bill, is the time for rational, thoughtful citizen involvement in the legislative process. The demagoguery, misrepresentation and fear-mongering should be behind us. Now is the time for each of us to call on our senators to support a robust public health insurance option; to dump the excise tax or drastically change it; and include a "pay or play" requirement on employers.
Shane Fox
Executive Board, Alliance for Retired Americans Vice President, Texas Alliance for Retired Americans"
