Suggested Talking Points For DANI Medicare & Social Security 'Letters To The Editor Writing Campaign'

Suggested talking points from Don.

Medicare/Social Security LTEs
Talking points—share these thoughts in your LTEs, but change the wording.
Choose talking points from these groups. Use the embedded links to back up your arguments.

Group 1: the Republican ideology on Medicare and Social Security 

• In August 2009, Teabaggers held protest signs saying, "Get your government hands off my Medicare." (See, e.g., Help Slate track the "Medicare isn't government" meme. - By Timothy Noah - Slate Magazine ) Well, Republicans who took over Congress in 2010 have voted to do exactly that: to end Medicare, and to make it simply a voucher program—to get government out of health care for the elderly. They've also recently voted to end Social Security. 
• In the early 1960s, the Republicans tried to stop Medicare. They called it "Socialized Medicine." They've been trying to undo it ever since Medicare became law in 1965. 
• The Republican ideology says we can't have Medicare or Social Security. They call it "Socialism." Recently, Republicans in Congress have voted to end both. 

Group 2: but we need Medicare and Social Security 

• I have relatives who need Medicare and Social Security. (Or, "I need Medicare and Social Security." "My parents need Medicare and Social Security.")  
• Nearly everyone depends on Medicare and Social Security, directly of indirectly. Either you're a beneficiary yourself, or you have parents or grandparents who are beneficiaries. (The very rich don't need these programs, though.) 

Group 3: Get specific, call them out: 

• On Friday, April 15 2011, Republicans in the US House of Representatives passed a bill to end Medicare. The vote was 235-193. Only four Republican representatives voted against the measure. 
• Republicans have once again introduced legislation to privatize Social Security: H.R.2109 - Savings Account for Every American Act of 2011. (See: H.R.2109: Savings Account for Every American Act of 2011 - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress) 
• Republicans tried to privatize Social Security early in 2005. Fortunately, they failed. Think what your private Social Security account would be worth in the aftermath of the Bush financial crisis of September 2008. 

Group 4: the negative impact: 

• Paul Krugman said it best:
      "It's a mystery why anyone claims that shifting more people into private insurance is a good idea. Actually, no, it isn't a mystery; it's an outrage."
(See, e.g., Daily Kos: Killing Medicare in Pictures) 
• Insurance costs are spiraling out of control. It would be disastrous to force our elderly out of Medicare and into private health insurance. 
• Medicare spends only about 3% on overhead. Private health insurance spends more like 30% on overhead. Some of that goes to a paperwork battle with health care providers, trying to avoid payouts. Some goes to lobbying Congress to kill Medicare. That effort seems to be working. Our health care money ought to go to health care, not to undermining health care. And private health insurance companies are making record profits.

Group 5: What to do

• Share your thoughts with your Congressman and Senators, with your friends and neighbors, and with your church. The Republicans want to end Medicare and Social Security, but that would be a disaster to the Middle Class and working poor. 
• Share your thoughts with your local party leaders, both parties.