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 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 e-newsletter addressing the needs of a group that finds itself on the outside looking in, politically. The e-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.
SPECIAL NOTE: RFFM.org's Daniel Zanoza Discusses Advocacy for Seniors, Retired and Disabled on Dr. Laurie Roth Radio Show: http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2010/07/rffmorgs-daniel-zanoza-discusses-advocacy-for-seniors-retired-and-disabled-on-dr-laurie-roth-show.html
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO RFFM / ASRD E-NEWSLETTER
Those who wish to receive the "Advocates for Seniors, Retired and Disabled" e-newsletter, can do so with a suggested minimum donation of $20 per year. To sign up for the RFFM / ASRD e-newsletter, go to the PayPal link below and then contact Dan@rffm.org with your name, state and e-mail address you wish to receive the e-newsletter at. Checks can also be made out to RFFM / ASRD and mailed to: RFFM / ASRD c/o Dan Zanoza, 904 21st St., # 71, Lincoln, Illinois 62656. ASRD e-newsletter subscribers will be able to receive information about programs they may qualify for as a senior, retired or disabled individual by contacting me directly.
To subscribe for the RFFM / ASRD e-newsletter or to make a secure online donation to RFFM go to the following PayPal link:
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