PETITION: Let Medicare negotiate with drug companies

Here is a petition that makes total sense.  Especially in light of all the conservative hand wringing about how “entitlements” are running up the debt, also at a time when prescription drug prices are way out of control, and definitely a burden on our Seniors. 

Check out the latest liberal, yet sensible nugget from my inbox, courtesy of Minnesota Senator Al Franken:

Dear Cecelia,

Here’s the best idea you’ll hear all day: Medicare should be able to negotiate with the drug companies to get better prices on medsprescriptions for seniors.

This simple reform would cut spending — by around $24 billion a year — without hurting seniors. In fact, seniors would end up paying less for their prescriptions. Continue reading

Light a Candle

I received this email recently from the AFL-CIO, and I decided to share it with you, Kids in light of all our fiscal cliff insecurities and fears. 

Get click happy if you think it will help get your wishes across, before any Grand Compromises are set in stone.

Cecelia Morgan,

Today, we’re not asking you to make phone calls or knock on doors or even sign a petition.

We’re asking you to light a candle. Hundreds of working families around the country are gathering together outside their legislator’s offices to remind them that peace and dignity are everyone’s right.

Join the virtual vigil and light a candle for everyone’s right to healthcare and the right to retire with dignity. Continue reading

Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security on the Block

What’s up with this loony idea that the deficit cure is to cut programs that help our elders, yet lower corporate tax rates at the same time?  This email is of particular interest to those of us living in New York State, and even more so when you have so many friends who rely on Medicare to help them remain independent and healthy.

Dear New York MoveOn member, President Obama and Democrats in the Senate are standing firm on their commitment to end the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthiest 2%. But they’re all over the place when it comes to protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—and that’s unacceptable. 

It’s unacceptable to MoveOn members like Catherine W. in North Carolina who wrote in with this personal story:

“I had taught elementary school for 25 years when the brain tumor was discovered. My craniotomy left me disabled. I shudder to think what would have become of me and my family had it not been for Social Security Disability and Medicare. Please do not cut the programs that have given me back life.”

Some Senators, like Bernie Sanders and Tom Harkin, are on the record as standing strong.1 But others, like Senator Charles Schumer, have yet to publicly commit to do right by Catherine and the majority of Americans who voted last month to protect our social safety net. So we’re joining with progressive allies to get every single Senate Democrat on the record, and we’ll make that information accessible to MoveOn members, the media, bloggers, and the public so that we can hold each Senator accountable. Continue reading

Paul Ryan, and 5 Little Lies

Below is an email from Brenda Witt, a MoveOn member who created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition.

Last night, Paul Ryan lied to the American people. Add your name to my SignOn.org petition demanding that the mainstream media expose the truth.

“Mainstream media: Fact-check and call out candidates when they lie. You have an obligation as journalists to educate the public on the facts of the major campaign issues.”    Sign the Petition! Continue reading

Paul Ryan Budget Facts

I wish the older voters remember some key points before falling in love with the vigorous new running mate of Mitt Romney.  The $3.5 trillion Ryan budget plan seeks to stem ballooning federal debt and deficit by slashing spending and reforming Medicare and Medicaid.  The House GOP plan calls for a reduction in individual tax rates and brackets.  Instead of today’s six brackets, with rates from 10% to 35%, it calls for just two – 10% and 25%.  The proposal would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, while dropping the top corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%.  Think for a moment, how that may impact YOUR finances, realistically.

Austerity, no thanks!

Martin Bashir made a powerful point on his show tonight; How it’s ironic that GOP candidates who sneer at President Obama for following supposed European policies, when they are the ones proposing monster cuts to entitlement programs that are just austerity measures for Americans.  Watch the news folks, the cuts in European countries  are just making their economies worse.  Spain for example, has wound up with crippling unemployment figures, the highest in 15 years!  Fact is, poor and working class folks put every cent they earn back into the economy, and scaring them into hoarding what little resources they have hurts it.  Big cuts in social programs to reduce the deficit….Sounds good to the conservative on the campaign trail, but common sense says it is not going to go over well with retirees on Medicare when push comes to shove.