Defending Medicare mailing list

[eridani]

Email #1
Defending Medicare—once more into the front lines
Your last email from this list was shortly after the Super Congress could not come to an agreement on reducing the deficit. (And welcome to new sign-ups.) Medicare and Social Security were spared from major attacks. However, Republicans (aided by some Democrats who seem to have forgotten all about the New Deal) are bent on eventually eliminating Medicare and cutting Social Security as much as they can. Since the end of 2010—
• In March 2011, the House Republicans vote to replace Medicare with coupons that give you a discount on the same kind of inadequate insurance that seniors could not afford before Medicare was enacted.
• In September 2011, Paul Ryan walks the coupon proposal back to a "voluntary" program, which would destroy Medicare more slowly by segregating the sickest seniors in traditional Medicare. This proposal is then endorsed by all Republican presidential candidates.
• In March 2012, Republican Senator Jim DeMint and other congressional Republicans propose eliminating Medicare entirely in 2014. If seniors can't afford private insurance after partial government subsidy, they can apply for Medicaid, which Republican state governments have vowed to slash.
• In April 2012, the House Republicans pass a budget eliminating all Medicaid funding for seniors in nursing homes, 70% of whom rely entirely on Medicaid.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-republican-mediscare/2012/03/16/gIQAfoWYGS_print.html
http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/12/15/ryan-wyden-getting-no-love-on-democratic-side/

Clearly, electing Republicans at any level will be a complete disaster for retirees and those who are planning (or who may be forced to) retire in the near future. However, we have to hold the feet of our elected Democrats and candidates to the fire as well. The way we nip the attacks on our lifeline programs in the bud is to insist that Democrats (both incumbents and challengers) make this a prime campaign issue, especially in view of the fact that 56% of the 2012 electorate will be 55 years or older. For open seats, give your support to the candidate with the strongest positions who pledge to campaign vigorously on the issue.

I have attached a list of campaign contact information, a list of questions to ask candidates, a half-sheet flyer with Senator Wyden’s contact information and instructions for sending free faxes, and an information sheet explaining how Republicans intend to attack Democrats for “cutting Medicare.” Democratic incumbents and challengers alike really need to pay attention to that last one.

While you’re at it, take the 2012 AARP survey on Social Security and Medicare.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fdl-aarp-survey

Old age should rave and burn at close of day. Do not go gentle into that good night—rage, rage against the dying of the light.

PM me with your email address if you want to join the list
PS—I won’t send these emails more often than once a week at most.

[eridani]

1. Attachment: questions for candidates

Will you cosponsor the single payer bills HR 676/1200 or S 915? (We are mainly looking to defend Medicare, but this would be a nice extra)

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

Since 1965, Medicare has given America’s seniors access to health care which only the wealthier senior demographic could pay for before it was implemented. It covers all needed care, and is frugally administered with only 3% administrative expenses.

In 2011, Republicans passed a Paul Ryan budget with a plan to convert Medicare to a voucher program. Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

_______ No

_______ Undecided

Democratic Senator Wyden of Oregon has proposed a gradual voucherization of Medicare, which all Republican candidates have endorsed. Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

In 2012, Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, along with other Republican representatives, proposed to eliminate Medicare entirely in 2014. Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided


In 2012, Republicans passed a Paul Ryan budget with a proposal to eliminate all Medicaid funding for nursing home patients Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

It has been proposed by several legislators that Social Security and Medicare eligibility ages be raised to 69 or 70 years. Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

It has been proposed by several legislators that Social Security cost of living increases be calculated with a chained Consumer Price index. (This is like compound interest in reverse—instead of getting richer over time you get poorer, with significant loss of lifetime total Social Security income for the oldest retirees.) Will you pledge that you will never support any such proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

It has been proposed that the Social Security salary cap of ~$106K (over which amount no further FICA tax is collected) be raised or scrapped to extend solvency and improve benefits for lower income people. Will you pledge to support this proposal?

______ Yes

______ No

_______ Undecided

[eridani]

2. Attachment REPUBLICAN MAILER ON MEDICARE

http://www.gop.com/index.php/briefing/comments/reach_out_and_touch_medicare#ixzz1US9aru7F

For The Record…It Was Obama Who Offered To Cut Hundreds Of Billions In Medicare During The Debt Debate

OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS PUT MEDICARE CUTS IN DEBT CEILING DEAL

USA Today: “Cuts in Medicare and other entitlement programs are on the table.” (Susan Page and Fredreka Schouten, “Political Damage Even If A Debt Deal Is Done,” USA Today, 7/31/11)

Obama Agreed To Medicare Cuts In Debt Ceiling Deal. “The deal announced on Sunday by Congressional leaders and the White House would make across-the-board cuts in military spending, education, transportation and Medicare payments to health care providers if Congress does not enact further deficit-cutting legislation by the end of the year.” (Robert Pear, “Congress Must Trim Deficit To Avoid Broader Cuts,” The New York Times, 7/31/11)

Obama Said “Adjustments” Must Be Made To Medicare. OBAMA: “Yes, that means making some adjustments to protect health care programs like Medicare so they’re there for future generations.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks On Budget Control Act, Washington, D.C., 8/2/11)

DURING DEBT CEILING DEBATE, OBAMA OFFERED $650 BILLION IN CUTS TO MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND MEDICAID

Obama Put “Major Changes” To Medicare On The Table During Debt Ceiling Negotiations. “To hit the $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, the congressional committee is likely to reconsider major changes to Medicare that the White House and congressional leaders put on the table during this summer's debt-ceiling negotiations.” (Janet Adamy, “Debt Deal May Hit Medicare,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/2/11)

Analysis by Democratic pollster—
http://capsules.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.php/2011/08/pollster-medicare-not-just-a-seniors-issue

Her bottom line: It is an even more important political issue now than in the past. “It’s not just a seniors’ issue by any matter or means,” she said. The Medicare changes in the budget plan advanced by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., “really elevated it, because it was such a clear distinction” between the Democratic and Republican positions. ”You saw it play out in the N.Y. special . And it is the top testing message in congressional races right now,” Lake added.

She’ll be watching how aggressively Democrats rally around protecting Medicare but believes it will be harder for the party “to draw the distinction that many of us believe in” because President Barack Obama talked about Medicare cuts in the context of the budget deal. “So I think it’s going to depend on how strong a stance Democrats take or whether they muddle it.” Regardless, she adds, “it has the potential to be THE voting issue in 2012.”