Social Security’s 76th Anniversary is this Sunday
On July 30, the Alliance celebrated the 46th Anniversary of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This Sunday, August 14, we will be celebrating the 76th Anniversary of Social Security, and Alliance members have been working to educate other members and the public on the importance of these programs. Check out the latest and greatest photos from Medicare and Social Security anniversary events here: http://bit.ly/nLT71O , or to watch a slideshow, click here: http://bit.ly/qbLLtk ! Check out the Washington Alliance as they march through downtown Seattle with a band here: http://bit.ly/qu3DrT . More great coverage from their weekend rally is at http://bit.ly/nU9EM8 . This week, the Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania Alliance all hosted Social Security birthday celebrations. For the complete list of 27 Social Security events, including those still to come, go to http://bit.ly/nQTcEu .
Super Committee Named to Tackle National Debt
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) announced her appointments to the bipartisan congressional “super committee” on Thursday, tapping Democratic Reps. Chris Van Hollen (MD), Xavier Becerra (CA) and James Clyburn (SC) to join nine other lawmakers tasked with reducing the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion by Thanksgiving. Those selections round out the bipartisan, 12-person group. House Speaker John Boehner tapped House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX) to serve as co-chair of the committee. He also appointed House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (MI), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (MI) to the committee. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) appointed Sens. Jon Kyl (AZ), Pat Toomey (PA) and Rob Portman (OH). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) named Sen. Patty Murray (WA) to co-chair the committee, and also appointed Sens. Max Baucus (MT) and John Kerry (MA). “Cuts to the Social Security and Medicare programs coming from the ‘super committee’ are major concerns for seniors”. According to Politico, the debt ceiling agreement could also jeopardize billions of dollars in initiatives from the health care reform law if the super committee can’t come up with required spending cuts. The funds for prevention programs and community health centers; grants to help states set up insurance exchanges and co-ops; and money to help states review insurance rates could be triggered across the board if the panel can’t find enough cuts this fall.
Since the passage of the debt ceiling deal, the tea party and its supporters have named Medicare their prime target, and they view the “super committee” as the means to slash it. While Medicare benefits cannot be touched by the committee, reshaping the program is very much on the table, and it is expected to be one of the most debated topics. Tea partiers support the approach outlined under the Paul Ryan Budget, which was released earlier this year. The Ryan budget turns Medicare into a voucher program by combining private insurance with government subsidies, ultimately raising costs for seniors. Recently, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) spoke in favor of it, saying, “Americans must come to grips with the fact that promises have been made that frankly are not going to be kept for many.” Widespread Republican support for the Ryan plan comes despite a special election upset by Democrats in New York in May and recent polls showing wide public support for taxing the wealthy over cutting programs. “If ending Medicare as we know it is what the tea party thinks America wants, then they are seriously misguided,”
Editorial : These Republican politicians , act like we "WE THE PEOPLE" don`t pay for the Social Security and Medicare Programs...DUH ? WE DO ! TEA Party ? Kinda remind this writer of The WASP party years ago ! Don`t know what the WASP party is ? Ask this writer. Put the Bush tax-breaks for the wealthy, back in place. Republicans call them raising tax`s. NOT SO ! Then concentrate on JOBS, good paying JOBS ! Problem solved. A word about the "SUPER COMMITTEE" A politicians way of passing the BUCK ! You Bet`Cha !
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