As the midterm campaign draws to a close with the future of Social Security and Medicare possibly at stake, NCPSSM has been completing its final round of candidate endorsement events around the country. Today in Charlotte, North Carolina, NCPSSM legislative director and PAC coordinator Dan Adcock formally endorsed Democrat Cheri Beasley for U.S. Senate in one of the pivotal swing state races of this election cycle.
Adcock presented Beasley with the National Committee’s signature boxing gloves, symbolizing that she is a “champion” for seniors in North Carolina. Beasley, the former Chief Justice of North Carolina’s Supreme Court, is running against Republican congressman Ted Budd for the seat currently held by GOP Sen. Richard Burr. The outcome of this race could determine who controls the Senate come January.
“Cheri Beasley will protect and improve Social Security. Her opponent voted for a budget proposal that would have cut COLAs and raised the retirement age to 70. Cheri Beasley will protect and improve Medicare. Ted Budd voted to privatize Medicare for the benefit of insurance companies.” – NCPSSM legislative director and PAC coordinator Dan Adcock, Charlotte, NC, 11/4/22
The National Committee has endorsed nearly 100 candidates across the U.S. for House and Senate this year. On Thursday, NCPSSM president Max Richtman was in Bay City, MI, endorsing Rep. Dan Kildee (D-IL) for re-election to the U.S. House, pronouncing him the “Rocky Balboa” for older Michiganders.
“Every step of the way, Dan Kildee has made the right call. He voted dozens of times to protect the Affordable Care Act while Republicans were hellbent on overturning it, stripping Michiganders with pre-existing conditions of their health care coverage and kicking millions off of Medicaid. And since Representative Kildee first took office, he has been a leader in the fight to improve Social Security and Medicare and reduce health care costs.” – Max Richtman, 11/3/22
Richtman also commended Rep. Kildee for his leadership on the House Ways and Means Social Security subcommittee, saying it’s important that he remain in that role to help protect senior’s earned benefits.
On Saturday, Richtman will be in Ohio to throw the National Committee’s support behind U.S. Rep Tim Ryan (D-OH) in his bid to defeat Republican J.D. Vance for the seat being vacated by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). While key Republicans have proposed harmful proposals for seniors’ earned benefits, Vance appears to have moderated his stance about Social Security and Medicare since running for this seat:
“His Democratic opponent, Rep. Tim Ryan, has criticized Vance for a 2010 blog post that described Social Security and Medicare among the largest drivers of the deficit. But Vance has since downplayed the need for changes to the programs.” – Bloomberg Government, 10/31/22
Meanwhile, Rep. Ryan has been a staunch ally of seniors in the U.S. Congress and earned a 100% rating on NCPSSM’s legislative scorecard. He has fought back against efforts to cut and privatize Social Security and Medicare – and “has supported legislation that would put more money in seniors’ pockets by increasing benefits, cutting taxes, and ensuring that Social Security keeps up with the rising cost of living.” Ryan also supports strengthening and expanding Medicare.
The mid-term election has become an existential threat for the nation’s two main social insurance programs for seniors, with Republicans openly proposing to cut, privatize, or jeopardize Social Security and Medicare. President Biden couldn’t have put it more plainly during a speech in Florida this week:
“You’ve been paying into (these programs) your whole life. You earned it. Now these guys want to take it away. Who in the hell do they think they are?” – President Biden, 11/1/22
NCPSSM has been calling on senior voters to cast ballots in their own interest, emphasizing that the GOP is not worthy of their trust on these issues – and that Republicans have no productive plans for addressing high priority items like inflation and gas prices. As Los Angeles Times Michael Hiltzik columnist recently wrote in a piece entitled, Republicans Keep Harping on Inflation, But Don’t Have Any Answers for It: “Proposals to diminish seniors’ benefits in any way would make it even harder for older Americans to cope with today’s economic difficulties.”
On Tuesday, voters will have an opportunity to protect their financial and health security – or take a risky step toward losing the programs that have ensured those very things for generations.