Listening the Debbie W-S one would think Paul Ryan’s goal is to make life miserable for senior citizens and to provide a lousy health care system for them. But, Obama, thankfully, would make sure everyone lives happily ever after.
That’s what they actually believe...and that’s the really scary part.
I have one big, big, big, big, big caveat for the Romney/Ryan team, and I can’t say it enough.
They need to sell Ryan’s Medicare plan, or any suggestion to overhaul it, by preceding every such conversation with a big warning that no changes will effect anyone over 55 years of age.
Being practical here, folks 55 or older collecting Medicare, they didn’t do anything wrong. They went to work all their lives while 7.65% was deducted from our paychecks and OUR EMPLOYER MATCHED IT! Which makes over 15% put away for our retirement and medical needs.
We didn’t get breaks like they get today on this “payroll tax”, we didn’t plan on being leaches on the system, fifteen percent....that’s a lot. Husband saved only 4% of his pay all his life, with an employer match on his 401K, and we got a ton of money back on that.
Well Sears didn’t spend all the money they deducted from husband or their match. By law they had to put it aside in a separate account while the politicians spent our mandatory 15% to look us in the eye now and tell us the money is gone. Those of us who had other plans know that 15% of a check toward retirement needs should have darn well been enough.
And further, just to illustrate more, I once worked for AT&T. Yes mighty AT&T, but I worked for Western Electric, the manufacturing arm of AT&T.
Which was turned into Lucent Technologies, than Alcatel bought by France.
The other day I got a notice that I am eligible for a lump sum payout rather than a monthly pension if I desire.
Total due me...$41,787 bucks! And this was with NO contribution on my part save 15 years of service.
They too had to keep pension money aside and not spend, by law, and lookit, I got lots of money when the politicos didn’t spend it!
So Romney/Ryan have to make it clear that changes and fixes will NOT affect those 55 or older as these people spent their law-abiding lives believing the money and system would be there when they need it.
There’s a way to fix Medicare, Social Security, and goodness, permanent disability in this country is an issue. Don’t scare the seniors and they’ll get out support.