Here's what Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans said today:
Mitt Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate locks in place the most anti-senior ticket ever. These two men have admitted – on the record - the threats that they pose to Medicare and Social Security. One of our worst fears is that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will actually keep their promises.
Paul Ryan’s budget plan would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. He would also make older workers, who have trouble finding health insurance in the private marketplace, wait until they reach age 67 to qualify for Medicare benefits.
Imagine combining this with Mitt Romney’s plan to require Americans in all sectors, including physically demanding jobs, to work until age 70 before they can be eligible for the Social Security benefits they have earned. The Romney-Ryan team would end guaranteed benefits on both Social Security and Medicare. What did seniors ever do to them?
The Congressional Budget Office projects that under the Ryan budget, federal Medicare expenditures on behalf of an average new beneficiary would be $400 to $700 (6 to 11 percent) less in 2023, $1,200 to $2,200 (14 to 23 percent) less in 2030, and $5,900 to $8,000 (35 to 42 percent) less in 2050 than under current law.
The Alliance for Retired Americans will do all it can the next three months to educate seniors on the Romney-Ryan plans for seniors. In the end, we hope that Paul Ryan goes down in history as another losing VP pick who makes future school children ask, ‘What were they thinking?’
Ryan’s plans are clear – and retirees would suffer the most
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
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:
A million signatures were turned in today to begin the formal process of forcing a recall election for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. The petitions delivered to the Government Accountability Board arrived on a truck and weighed over 3000 pounds. The signatures collected and submitted were 460,000 more signatures than required to force a recall. In addition to the Governor, Wisconsinites also turned in the required signatures to recall the Lieutenant Governor and three state Senators.
Retirees in Wisconsin, including WI Alliance members, were active in circulating hundreds of petitions to recall the Governor and the Lt. Governor. In addition to circulating petitions, Wisconsin retirees from all walks of life volunteered time to data entry and validating the signed petitions.
Under a new law pushed by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, 84 year-old Ruthelle Frank of Brokaw, WI (pop. 107) has lost the right to vote. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Frank does not have a driver’s license, and lacks a birth certificate needed to get a state identification card. She does however have Social Security and Medicare cards, as well as a baptism certificate. Even if she were to pay $20 to get a birth certificate, her maiden name was misspelled by the attending physician at her home birth. To rectify this, she would need to petition the courts and pay a $200 fee.
Frank, an elected member of her Village Board since 1996, recently became a plaintiff in a lawsuit to block the new law, which is similar to proposals in other states.
Our generation, and those who came before us, fought and died for the right to vote. We cannot let politicians take this away. For the latest developments on voting rights, visit http://www.lawyerscommittee.org/projects/voting_rights.
Photo by Dan Young/Wausau Daily Herald of Ruthelle Frank
The Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans delivered the following message to Ed Schultz at their September 2011 Senior Power Lunch:
You were the first nationally to broadcast your shows to “shine a light” on the Wisconsin Governor and his political allies attack on labor and to support our efforts to take back our state.
You and ‘Team Fargo’ were the lightening rod that made the voices of Wisconsin working families heard across Wisconsin and our nation.
You continue to focus on the Heartland and their struggles to fight back against the right wing in our country.
Thank you Big Eddy for your dedication and commitment to working families in our state and country.
Sincerely,
Leon Burzynski, President WIARA
Pictured: Ed Schultz airs his show around the Wisconsin Capitol during revolt & interviews John Nichols - Courtesy www.flickr.com/photos/wi_alliance
During their 4th biennial convention yesterday, members of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans (WIARA) unanimously approved a resolution condemning Governor Scott Walker for his drastic budget cuts. Then they got up, marched to the capitol, and watched as WIARA President Leon Burzynski hand delivered the resolution to the Governor’s Office.
Armed with signs reading “Don’t ‘Walker’ On Me!,” retiree activists protested outside of the Wisconsin capitol building. WIARA President Leon Burzynski addressed the crowd and warned that if lawmakers approve this budget, it would mean great steps backward “to where we were before Social Security when 50% of seniors lived in poverty." Governor Walker has proposed cuts to SeniorCare, which is the state’s drug plan for senior citizens. He has also proposed: cuts to essential programs like BadgerCare (a state-run program similar to Medicaid), WI Department of Veterans Affairs, transit aid, public education; freezing Family Care program funding; and also calls for an end to the Earned Income and Homestead Tax Credits. Walker claims that these drastic cuts, which disproportionately affect seniors, children, and low-income residents, are necessary if the state hopes to balance its budget.
In their resolution, the members of the WIARA pointed out that the Governor’s budget does not calls for an end to tax breaks for corporations and Wisconsin’s rich residents. As stated in the resolution, the budget “…does not contain a single provision asking wealthy Wisconsin residents and corporation sot accept their fair share of sacrifice.”
There was a great showing of union solidarity in Carson City!
There were probably 300-400 people at the President's Day rally. They came from a wide variety of unions in Nevada who came out to support the state workers in Wisconsin.
Vicki Borst, pictured at right picketing NV Energy last summer, is a NV Energy retiree and activist with the IBEW Local 1245 Retirees Club. She came out on February 21st to rally and support public workers in Wisconsin.
“I think it’s an awesome show of unity and solidarity in Wisconsin, and I see the same thing going on here today,” Borst said in a channel 8 TV report.
All four of the local TV stations, including the FOX network, covered the rally.
Nevada AFL-CIO chief Danny Thompson was the MC for the rally and several from the state workers, teamsters, teachers and other unions spoke on the importance of collective bargaining and the importance of the services state workers provide.
A few members of the legislature came out and stood with us in support of the state workers and collective bargaining. Senator Horsford furnished pizza to the people in the crowd saying he would rather give than take away from the state workers.
There was a great deal of enthusiasm in the crowd and it was reflected by the people in passing cards who honked their horns in support. There were a few anti-union protesters but they were outnumbered probably 20 to 1.
There was a good showing of Local 1245 retirees at the rally - about a dozen. One of them, Jim Walker, brought his young son. There were lots of families at the rally because of the Presidents Day holiday. It will create a memory for them they'll never forget.
It was a great day!
Rita Weisshaar is a retired NV Energy employee and IBEW Local 1245 shop steward. She is also an organizer for the union.
It’s Time to Stop the Power Struggle, Restore Balance in State
The following statement was issued Monday, February 21st by Leon Burzynski, President of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans (WIARA):
Last Friday, public employees through their union, offered major concessions related to their pension and health care plans, as Governor Scott Walker set forth in his budget plan, in exchange for retaining their right to bargain collectively and have a voice through their union. Despite the fact that these same workers already made significant concessions during Governor Doyle's administration, last week public employees were willing to accept Governor Walker's proposal on pension and health care plans to help solve the state's budget challenges. They felt it was time to restore balance to the state and move forward. The Governor's rejection of their offer is a slap in the face to working people in our state.
Wisconsin workers – public and private – are not responsible for the state budget challenges. While the Governor talks about Wisconsin's budget challenges, last month he added $120 million to the 2011-2013 deficits alone by passing tax breaks predominantly for large corporations. In dealing with the state's budget challenges, what sacrifices is the Governor asking of wealthy Wisconsin citizens and these corporations to balance the state budget?
Communities across Wisconsin are voicing their opposition to the Governor's "Budget Repair Bill" that hurts Wisconsin middle class families. Collective bargaining is not responsible for our budget challenges. Bargaining collectively and having a voice through one's union has been and must continue as a great tradition of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin retirees know the value and benefit of having a voice through their union. That’s why they have been out at the capitol, out in their communities, speaking to their social networks and the media about what this affront really means. They also know that workers like nurses, highway workers and teachers are essential to the well-being and safety of our families and communities. They make Wisconsin a great place to raise a family and retire. They deserve better!
It’s time to stop the power struggle. Our leaders, including Scott Walker, need to work together to create and maintain quality jobs here in Wisconsin and to address the problems facing the middle class. If the Governor refuses, state lawmakers need to stand up and open a dialogue to get the state moving forward.
Contact: Billy Feitlinger (608) 239-5384 for more information or interviews with retired workers
