Save Medicare
For over 45 years, Medicare has guaranteed access to quality affordable healthcare for America's senior citizens. Medicare has wide bipartisan support from Coloradans and people across the nation. A recent poll found that 92% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans, 75% of independents, and even 70% of the Tea Party are opposed to making cuts to this essential program. (1)
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The Republican plan falls well short of what Medicare currently provides for seniors and it would cost the government more to do it. Even worse, if health care costs continue to grow faster than inflation, seniors will see their coverage decline under the Republican plan. For many seniors on fixed incomes, that will mean dipping into their retirement savings and forgoing other necessities to make up the difference. That's not acceptable.
Like my colleagues, I agree we have to tackle our long-term debt problem before it squelches the innovation and investment needed to grow our economy and ensure our national security. But we don't need to get rid of Medicare to do it. It is wrong to ask for that kind of sacrifice from seniors and middle class Americans, especially when we continue to give huge tax breaks to millionaires and allow tax loopholes for multinational corporations that are making record-breaking profits while shipping American jobs overseas.
If we are serious about debt and deficit reduction, all reform proposals have to be on the table. That's why I pushed for the creation of the bipartisan deficit commission, which took a hard look at defense spending, the tax code, and made recommendations to shore up Medicare and Social Security to ensure they are solvent for seniors and young people alike. Those are the common-sense Colorado values that should be guiding our budget debate, not a risky scheme that would hurt our seniors.
Sincerely,
[1] McClatchy-Marist Poll: Best way to fight deficits; http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/18/112386/poll-best-way-to-fight-deficits.html; April 18, 2011
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