Lobbyists Try To Rewrite History On Vote To End Medicare

<p><location value="LU/us.dc.wash" idsrc="xmltag.org">WASHINGTON</location>, <chron>Sept. 7</chron> -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued the following news release:</p><p>RetireSafe, a front group for Republicans and the pharmaceutical industry, is misleading <location value="LS/us.fl" idsrc="xmltag.org">Florida</location> voters by falsely claiming that Congressman <person>Dan Webster</person> (FL-10) is protecting <org>Medicare</org>. In reality, Congressman <person>Dan Webster</person> has voted to end <org>Medicare</org>, raising health care costs for seniors, while protecting tax breaks for special interests, millionaires and corporations that ship American jobs overseas. RetireSafe is "led by former Bush and Reagan administration officials, small-government activists and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists and consultants" according to Roll Call.</p><p>"Congressman <person>Dan Webster</person> voted for a plan that will end <org>Medicare</org>, and now, he's relying on lobbyists and special interests to mislead seniors on his vote to raise seniors' health care costs," said <person>Stephanie Formas</person> of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "While in <location value="LU/us.dc.wash" idsrc="xmltag.org">Washington</location>, Congressman Webster has repeatedly sided with special interests by voting for tax breaks for big oil companies, the ultra rich, and companies that ship jobs overseas at the cost of <location value="LS/us.fl" idsrc="xmltag.org">Florida</location> seniors and the middle class."</p><p>Background</p><p>Congressman Dan Webster Voted to End Traditional Medicare. "Ryan's budget bill also would end traditional <org>Medicare</org> by capping spending and offer vouchers to buy private insurance." [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12; <org>Bloomberg</org>, 8/13/12]</p><p>* The Economist: The House Republican budget "ends the guarantee that all American seniors will have health insurance." [The Economist, 4/5/11]</p><p>* <org>Wall Street Journal</org>: The Republican budget "would essentially end <org>Medicare</org>, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills." [<org>Wall Street Journal</org>, 4/4/11]</p><p>* <org value="NYSE:MNI" idsrc="xmltag.org">McClatchy</org>: The House Republican budget "effectively would end <org>Medicare</org> for seniors." [<org>McClatchy-Tribune News Service</org>, 4/5/11]</p><p>RetireSafe is Closely Tied to the <org>Republican Party</org>, Pharmaceutical Industry. "RetireSafe bills itself as a nonpartisan senior citizens advocacy organization, but it is led by former Bush and Reagan administration officials, small-government activists and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists and consultants." [Roll Call, 12/1/11]</p><p>Provided Cover. "RetireSafe's awards provided these Republicans with valuable political cover for supporting controversial bills, such as the budget proposed by House Budget Chairman <person>Paul Ryan</person> (R-Wis.) that would have dramatically revamped <org>Medicare</org>." [Roll Call, 12/1/11]</p><p>Pharmaceutical Industry Bankrolled RetireSafe. "PhRMA has long supported RetireSafe, contributing <money>$88,000</money> to the organization during the past three years, according to federal filings." [Roll Call, 12/1/11]</p><p>Bulk of RetireSafe's Budget Went to Direct Mail. "Federal records show that the bulk of RetireSafe's expenditures, about <money>$2.2 million</money>, go to direct mail such as the flier that voters in <location value="LS/us.mi" idsrc="xmltag.org">Michigan</location> received this fall praising freshman Rep. <person>Dan Benishek</person> (R-Mich.) for protecting Part D. Other Republican freshmen who have won awards from RetireSafe include Reps. <person>Jon Runyan</person> (N.J.), <person>Allen West</person> (Fla.) and <person>Paul Gosar</person> (Ariz.)." [Roll Call, 12/1/11]</p><p><org>Alliance for Retired Americans</org>: Beware RetireSafe, a <org>Front Group for the Pharmaceutical Industry</org>. "It is funded at least in part by the <org>Pharmaceutical Research</org> and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the drug industry's chief lobbying group, and has served to validate the industry's agenda. RetireSafe's awards provided these Republicans with valuable political cover for supporting controversial bills, such as the budget proposed by House Budget Chairman <person>Paul Ryan</person> (R-Wis.) that would have dramatically revamped <org>Medicare</org>." [ARA, 12/2/11]</p><p>RetireSafe Supported Privatizing Social Security. <a href="http://Retirsafe.org">Retirsafe.org</a> has claimed, "Personal retirement accounts (PRAs) are good for individuals and good for the economy [...] PRA is an account you own and control made up of a portion of your existing payroll taxes invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or simple government T-bills." [Human Events, 5/15/03]</p><p>TNS MJ88-120908-4018853 StaffFurigay</p><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tr><td align=right>Copyright: </td><td>(c) 2012 Targeted News Service</td></tr><tr><td align=right>Source: </td><td>Targeted News Service</td></tr><tr><td align=right>Wordcount: </td><td>595</td></tr></table><!-- start_body --><br>