[RonDog]

From The Press-Enterprise:

Bush to tout drug-benefits plan

11:30 PM PDT on Thursday, August 25, 2005>

By MICHELLE DeARMOND / The Press-Enterprise

President Bush plans to promote new Medicare prescription-drug benefits when he stops in the Inland area Monday, a White House official confirmed Thursday.

Bush is scheduled to visit the James L. Brulte Senior Center on Monday afternoon in Rancho Cucamonga.

An estimated 200 guests, including senior citizens and Bush supporters, are expected to attend the event, which is not open to the public.

Medicare is the federal program that provides health care for elderly Americans.

The program is set to begin offering new prescription drug benefits on Jan. 1, 2006, by working with insurance companies and other private companies to negotiate discounts on drug prices.

Enrollment is voluntary, but Medicare officials are encouraging seniors to sign up even if they don't use a lot of prescription drugs.

Bush plans to pitch the program earlier Monday in El Mirage, Ariz., near Phoenix, according to the White House.

After leaving the Inland area, Bush will spend the night in San Diego and speak to the military about the war on terror.

Anti-war protesters and other Bush opponents also are making plans for Monday and say they will hold a 1 p.m. rally outside the senior center.

A coalition of different activist and Democratic organizations are putting together the rally.

Reach Michelle DeArmond at (951) 368-9441 or mdearmond@pe.com

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Online at: http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_bush26.1d6bdc38.html

[RonDog]

From Yahoo! MAPS:

Baseline Rd At Milliken Ave Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91701

When using any driving directions or map, it's a good idea to do a reality check and make sure the road still exists, watch out for construction, and follow all traffic safety precautions. This is only to be used as an aid in planning.

---

Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

[RonDog]

And, from a PREVIOUS Rally to Support the President here in southern California:

image courtesy of Chris Haas

Last Thursday afternoon, HUNDREDS of happy, smiling, flag-waving patriotic Americans gathered outside a "private, secret" fundraiser at the Santa Monica airport to welcome President Bush back to Los Angeles, for his first visit to southern California since March 2004.

Two very highly repected sources independently calculated that over FIFTEEN HUNDRED people overwhelmed the intersection of 31st Street and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, just north of the hanger in which President Bush, Laura Bush and Governor Schwarzenegger appeared at a private fundraiser which had not been widely publicized until a few days before the event --
with the crowd outside roughly divided into half pro-Bush and half anti-Bush.

On a Thursday afternoon.
In Santa Monica...

See also the "after action" thread:
"Welcome Back, W!"
HUNDREDS rally near Santa Monica airport to support President Bush – new PHOTOS!

[kellynla]

Off my radar screen but I want to wish you all the best!

Have a great Rally!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[RonDog]

Rancho Cucumonga

D'oh!

This southern California city's name is ACTUALLY spelled Rancho Cucamonga.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Again, the enemy has 'made it person', with this "MOM" stuff, so more Americans could "relate". I.e. they 'put a face on it'.

Well, two can do that.

If anyone has a servicemember in their family in Iraq, consider this as a huge placard:

"I SUPPORT MY MARINE (or ARMY, AIRFORCE, RESERVE GUARD) SON (or BROTHER, SISTER, FATHER, GRANDSON, COUSIN) IN IRAQ AND HIS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF"

[doug from upland]

I just spoke with a very nice reporter from the DAILY BULLETIN. She will be mentioning the FReepers.

[Bob J]

Great job Ron!

[La Enchiladita]

All the best! I'll be working; hope you have a good turnout.

[Joy Angela]

Great News Bump!!! The President is coming to town!!

[RonDog]

This just in, from www.sbsun.com:

White House confirms Bush visit to Rancho

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - President Bush plans to visit the city on Monday to discuss senior prescription drug plans and drum up support for the war in Iraq, White House officials confirmed Friday.

Bush is to arrive at Ontario International Airport before heading to the James L. Brulte Senior Center, where he will spend nearly 40 minutes in the early afternoon discussing his administration's new prescription drug benefit program to 200 invited guests and media.

"The president will discuss Medicare and the new prescription drug care program,' said Allen Abney, a White House official. "He's discussing the same issues in Arizona earlier that morning.'

On June 16 at Maple Grove, Minn., Bush unveiled the new drug benefit program, which is expected to begin in January. The new Medicare drug program will service all Medicare beneficiaries and is expected to assist one-third of low-income seniors with Medicare drug benefits that wouldn't require premiums, deductibles or gaps in coverage.

Co-payments will amount to no more than $5 for most people, and more than 95 percent of their drug bills will be covered, according to White House officials.

The president's visit comes at a time when his job approval ratings have plummeted to nearly 36 percent, according to a poll released this week by the American Research Group.

For invited guest Hilda Katz Phillips of Rancho Cucamonga, a supporter of the president, his arrival to the city is a welcome event regardless of the polls, she said.

"I'm very satisfied with Medicare as it is,' said Phillips, 81, who participates in classes at the senior center. "I'm more concerned about the pharmaceuticals, and I want to thank him for his continued support for Israel.'

Protesters, both conservative and liberal, are preparing for the president's arrival.

The Riverside Area Peace and Justice Action, an anti-war and anti-Bush group, will protest the appearance.

"We need to stop spending money on death, the war in Iraq and on enhancing the lives of the people in our own country,' said Dick Morris, an organizer of the protest.

The group will be met by Free Republic, a conservative group based in Fresno, that plans on giving support for the president's policies and programs.

"We're going to have some signs and a bullhorn to support our president,' said Doug Cogan of Upland, whose son-in-law, Navy Petty Officer Josh Lazanis, has served three tours of duty in the Middle East.

[BitDrifter]

I should be able to make it, I was hoping someone was going to do a rally. Thanks.

[doug from upland]

Come on, FReepers, I hope many of you can make it. The other side will probably bus in their little thugs.

A young lady from a cable station has asked for an interview, and we hope we can generate good press for our troops, our president, and FR.

[RonDog]

It is almost SHOW TIME!!!

If you cannot join us LIVE at the rally in Rancho Cucamonga...

...please CALL your favorite talk radio host, or your local TV station...

...and tell them you want to hear MORE about this rally!

And, please WATCH your local TV news to see what kind of coverage we get...

...and please BUMP THIS THREAD!!!