Posted on 07/13/2010 7:29:08 AM PDT by Daniel T. Zanoza
RFFM.org To launch Effort To Inform Seniors, Retired And Disabled About Issues Involving This Group
by Daniel T. Zanoza
EDITOR'S NOTE: As a disabled individual myself, I fully understand that the Obama Administration now sees senior citizens and disabled individuals from the middle-class and poor alike as a politically expendable voting bloc. Some might claim my efforts may be self-serving, but it has become clear to me groups including AARP are no longer looking out for the best interests of seniors. The disabled are also suffering under Obama's policies which impact all Americans. Subsequently, I will issue a quarterly newsletter to subscribers who want to learn more about what's happening related to topics they care about.
If you are a senior, retired or a disabled individual, you probably have noticed the Obama administration has demonstrated little, if any, care for those who fall into this group. The President's highly unpopular health care reform bill, which was rammed down the throat of the American people, included $500 billion in cuts to Medicare alone. Yes, I know the half trillion dollars which have been slashed from Medicare will supposedly be made up through the elimination of fraud and waste related to Medicare. However, it wasn't necessary to pass a bill in order to eliminate fraud and waste.
I suppose the "hope and change" Obama promised during his presidential campaign mostly dealt with his "hope" of passing his socialist agenda and the "change" is what the rest of us will get from our taxpayer dollars. And I do mean change...in the form of nickels and dimes which our dollar will be worth after the inflation the nation will soon be incurring, due to the massive debt the U.S. is piling up by borrowing money to pay for wasteful programs which will take generations to pay back.
In Illinois and across the entire nation, Obama began the assault, especially on middle-class and poor Social Security recipients, with the COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment) freeze. Again, supposedly, the lack of a cost of living adjustment--which many Social Security recipients depend on--was due to the fact the nation's economy is not experiencing inflation, according to the Dept. of Labor's Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Most assuredly, there will be those who say the CPI is not political in any way, but if you believe that, I have some oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico available to the highest bidder. The head of the Dept. of Labor is appointed by the President. Obama needed some way to balance out his massive spending and the easiest way to do so was to cut spending (with the COLA freeze) for a voting bloc which he apparently now deems politically expendable...elderly and disabled Americans. Okay, Obama offered a phony gesture to appease this group by promising to get Congress to pass a one-time $250 payment meant to offset the COLA freeze. But that hollow gesture disappeared like the $862 billion in stimulus money that was supposed to put Americans back to work.
Here in Illinois the attack on seniors went even further. My state has a $13 billion budget deficit. What did the Democratic-controlled legislature do to help save taxpayers' money? Democratic Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a budget that slashed a program called "Circuit Breaker". The Circuit Breaker program is not an entitlement. It is a program designed to provide property tax relief, primarily for seniors, retired and disabled residents of the state. The amount previously received by those who qualified for the Circuit Breaker program would barely pay for a movie and a good dinner, but lawmakers decided to cut the program in half. I personally contacted some Illinois state Senators who were not even aware of the Circuit Breaker cuts reflected in the Illinois budget. Circuit Breaker recipients are still able to renew their license plates at a reduced rate, but the checks received in 2010 (for Fiscal Year 2009), were another reflection of that "hope and change"--with emphasis on "change". To be specific, Circuit Breaker recipients received 50 cents less on the dollar this year for property tax relief through the program, compared to years past. Again, the philosophy promoted by Obama is being mimicked in Illinois.
By the way, Illinois Democratic Governor Pat Quinn recently gave his staff a considerable pay raise. But our elected officials in Washington, D.C. voted themselves a substantial pay raise for themselves for the current fiscal year, so at least our lawmakers are being consistent at the state and national levels.
There is a name for what's happening to the millions of Americans who paid into Social Security their entire lives and expected Medicare would be there for them when they needed it. Without getting too in-depth, it's a version of "more from the fit and less from the unfit". In this case, it's less FOR the "unfit". This mindset is promoted within the health care bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Obama.
Americans heard talk about "death panels" which the establishment media and Democrats poo-pooed. Yet the death panel warnings as far as the health care law are essentially true. Government appointed panels will make life and death decisions regarding who will receive what kind of health care. And these panels will not consist of doctors or experts in the profession of medicine. Indeed the recess appointment of Craig Becker who will essentially be the head of Medicare and Medicaid is on record as being a major proponent of health care rationing.
For example, will Aunt Betty, who is 85 years old get the hip replacement she desperately needs or will it be more fiscally prudent to refuse Aunt Betty's surgery and simply give her pain medication to deal with her ailment? This type of decision will be in the hands of government bureaucrats, not Aunt Betty's doctor. Rationing of health care is a certainty under the current health care reform law and anyone who denies this fact is simply naive, not telling the truth or both.
Millions of baby boomers, who are now reaching the age of retirement, will tax America's economic system. Subsequently, those who are 65 years of age and older now represent a group some contend may no longer be productive members of our society. Millions of seniors, retired and disabled individuals now fall into this category which Obama has targeted since he has taken office. What makes matters worse is groups like the AARP--an organization whose primary goal was lobbying for the elderly--have been politically corrupted, leaving seniors, retired and the disabled without political representation in Washington, D.C.
Therefore, RFFM.org will begin to produce a quarterly newsletter addressing the needs of a group that finds itself on the outside looking in, politically. The newsletter will include information on pending legislation which will affect the elderly, retired and disabled. It will also provide action alerts and contact information for legislators. Those who wish to receive the "Advocates for Seniors, Retired and Disabled" newsletter, can do so with a suggested $20 per year donation. To sign up for the ASRD newsletter, please contact Dan@rffm.org
Obozo is Good for Retired Persons:
Zero interest rates means that you no longer have to bother with that tiresome interest on your savings ... and your savings are getting smaller every day ... and there is no inflation is there (/sarc) ... and because we are all healthier he will do away with those pesky doctor visits ... and hospital care ... and the increased tax on ‘medical devices’ won’t affect you because you won’t need them because you are healthier ... etc. ... etc.
All Hail Lord Obozo!
SS recipients are older people and therefore often republicans. Naturally Hussein wants to stiff them and deliver the proceeds to his own voters.
Thank you for this. People don’t understand all the ramifications of obama’s healthcare or the man he chose to head it. AARP is a MONEY MAKING outfit that pimps everything but the truth to seniors. I would LOVE to see their advertising budget.
Libs get old and disabled too. They will catch on, but I hope it is not too late.
I cancelled my coverage with AARP and went elsewhere. Several months later I received a phone call asking why. They were not at all surprised when I told them!
If you can't go to those pesky doctors or hospitals you will be healthier because you won't be exposed to all of those deadly diseases carried by everyone else. ;-)
Unfortunately the people who most support Obama are the under 35 crowd who are young and healthy now. I just wonder how they will feel if they give birth to a child who needs major medical intervention but are told tht it is too expensive and no care will be given because that is what will happen.
Medicare Cut & Gut list and tell them your dem congresscritter voted to saddle them with 35 new taxes and cut their granny’s medicare. You can get 2 to the page if you work it right.
Seniors took the brunt of Obamacare $523 BILLION in Medicare Cut & Gut
Dems write off seniors
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/06/17/elderly-and-expendable/
NO DOC FIX FOR MEDICARE
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/18/senate-fails-spare-doctors-medicare-cuts/
Seniors Must Scrutinize Medicare Mailer
IBD Editorials ^ | June 8, 2010 | NEWT GINGRICH AND NANCY DESMOND
“Your guaranteed Medicare benefits won’t change — whether you get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.”
Report: Bill would reduce senior care Medicare cuts approved by House may affect access to providers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402597.html
Health Reform’s Hidden Victims Young people and seniors would pay a high price for ObamaCare.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203517304574306303720472842.html
Mayo clinic stops taking Medicare patients
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=517004
Seniors’ coverage options dwindle as Medicare Advantage programs close shop
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-advantage_22bus.ART.State.Edition1.3c912a9.html
Weighing Medical Costs of End-of-Life Care
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/health/23ucla.html?_r=1&ref=business&pagewanted=all
Survey in New England Journal of Medicine Says 46% of US Doctors Will Quit If Obamacare Passes
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2798380/shocking_survey_in_new_england_journal.html?cat=75
Slashing Medicare to pay for healthcare reform an ugly shell game
Dr. Stuart M. Shapiro,
July 27, 2009
Obamacare Impact on Seniors
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/05/Obamacare-Impact-on-Seniors
March 28, 2010 Health law’s heavy impact Paul Guppy
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/mar/28/health-laws-heavy-impact/
The Senate Health Bill: Ordinary Americans Have Been Warned
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/03/17/the-senate-health-bill-ordinary-americans-have-been-warned/
Obama Names Rationing Czar to Run Medicare
by Terence P. Jeffrey
05/26/2010
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37186
Under Obamacare, IRS Has Power to Penalize Americans Who Refuse to Buy Required Insurance
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807832/under_obamacare_irs_has_power_to_penalize.html?cat=75
obamacare taxes on working families
http://www.atr.org/obamacares-taxes-working-families-a4745
Electronic Records to costly says doctors
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/health/policy/08health.html?fta=y
Employer health insurance plans likely to be altered after all
http://www.telegram.com/article/20100612/NEWS/6120334/1116
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