Millions of Voices for Change
Millions of Americans are faced with difficult decisions concerning their health care and financial security every day. Here are just two stories we´ve heard recently.
Unaffordable Health Insurance
"Health Insurance is too expensive now for many employers to pay the full premiums, so folks are forced to pay for a larger portion of the costs. My husband and I were forced to retire early and the cost of his employer's health insurance was about $16,800 a year. Now how can anyone with or without a pension and social security afford that kind of premium?"
Judy C.
Hedgesville, WV
Retirement Out of Reach
"I am 56 years old a public school teacher. Luckily, my school district pays for my health insurance in full, but I carry insurance for my husband, a farmer, who is also 56. The monthly premium for his insurance is now $565 and it goes up every year. I've checked into getting insurance for him from another insurer, but it is almost that much. Besides, they turned him down because he takes allergy pills.
I had planned to retire at 62 but my school district does not pay for retirees' insurance, so I would have to pay both mine and my husband's from my pension money. If I did that there would be very little money left for anything else. So it looks like I won't be retiring at 62. And what if I get sick and can't work? There won't be any insurance at all if that happens. I wish there was affordable health insurance available now for my husband and, later on, for me."
Donna B.
Wyandotte, OK
If you´re concerned about the rising costs of health insurance and the burden of paying more of the costs of health care in your retirement, you´re certainly not alone. We encourage you, your friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers to visit www.dividedwefail.org/share to share how these and other retirement and financial issues are affecting your families.
Learn More About The Issues
Divided We Fail Volunteers Take on Capitol Hill, Secure Close to 100 Congressional Pledges
Divided We Fail held a rally and press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, July 25, featuring AARP CEO Bill Novelli, AARP President Erik Olsen, Business Roundtable President John Castellani and Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern, together with White House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Delegate Donna Christensen (D-US Virgin Islands).
As a sea of AARP red shirts convened just steps from the Capitol dome, preparing to advocate on behalf of AARP members and the public, the press conference emphasized the need for a bipartisan solution to skyrocketing health care costs and retirement security. Following the rally, volunteers set out with the Divided We Fail Congressional Pledge in hand to meet their members of congress. This resulted in 93 congressional pledges as well as signed pledges from presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Chris Dodd. You can see the full press release and photos of the event here and a full list of congressional signatures below. Efforts to obtain pledges will continue through the August recess and the list of congressional signatures will be updated as we proceed.
Divided We Fail Congressional Pledge Signers
Sen. Stevens (R-AK)
Sen. Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Dodd (D-CT)
Sen. Akaka (D-HI)
Sen. Inouye (D-HI)
Sen. Crapo (R-ID)
Sen. Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Obama (D-IL)
Sen. Landrieu (D-LA)
Sen. Vitter (R-LA)
Sen. Snowe (R-ME)
Sen. Cardin (D-MD)
Sen. Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Kerry (D-MA)
Sen. Coleman (R-MN)
Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. Tester (D-MT)
Sen. Baucus (D-MT)
Sen. McCaskill (D-MO)
Sen. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. Clinton (D-NY)
Sen. Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Bennett (R-UT)
Sen. Hatch (R-UT)
Rep. Davis (D-AL)
Rep. Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Boozman (R-AR)
Rep. Ross (D-AR)
Rep. Baca (D-CA)
Rep. Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Solis (D-CA)
Rep. Perlmutter (D-CO)
Rep. Salazar (D-CO)
Rep. Courtney (D-CT)
Rep. Murphy (D-CT)
Rep. Shays (R-CT)
Rep. Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Buchanan (R-FL)
Rep. Barrow (D-GA)
Rep. Bishop (D-GA)
Rep. H. Johnson (D-GA)
Rep. Price (R-GA)
Rep. Abercrombie (D-HI)
Rep. Hirono (D-HI)
Rep. Biggert (R-IL)
Rep. Boyda (D-KS)
Rep. Moran (R-KS)
Rep. Yarmuth (D-KY)
Rep. McCrery (R-LA)
Rep. Bartlett (R-MD)
Rep. Cummings (D-MD)
Rep. Ruppersberger (D-MD)
Rep. Van Hollen (D-MD)
Rep. Wynn (D-MD)
Rep. Neal (D-MA)
Rep. Kildee (D-MI)
Rep. Ellison (D-MN)
Rep. Oberstar (D-MN)
Rep. Ramstad (R-MN)
Rep. Rehberg (R-MT)
Rep. Carnahan (D-MO)
Rep. Emerson (R-MO)
Rep. Berkley (D-NV)
Rep. Porter (R-NV)
Rep. Hodes (D-NH)
Rep. Holt (D-NJ)
Rep. Pascrell (D-NJ)
Rep. Payne (D-NJ)
Rep. Sires (D-NJ)
Rep. Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Arcuri (D-NY
Rep. Bishop (D-NY)
Rep. Gillibrand (D-NY)
Rep. McNulty (D-NY)
Rep. Pomeroy (D-ND)
Rep. Space (D-OH)
Rep. Boren (D-OK)
Rep. English (R-PA)
Rep. Platts (R-PA)
Rep. Fortuno (R-PR)
Rep. Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD)
Rep. Wilson ((R-SC)
Rep. Cohen (D-TN)
Rep. Cooper (D-TN)
Rep. Gordon (D-TN)
Rep. Cuellar (D-TX)
Rep. Gonzalez (D-TX)
Rep. Green (D-TX)
Rep. Jackson-Lee (D-TX)
Rep. Lampson (D-TX)
Rep. Rodriguez (D-TX)
Rep. Bishop (R-UT)
Rep. Cannon (R-UT)
Rep. Matheson (D-UT)
Rep. Davis (R-VA)
Rep. Moran (D-VA)
Rep. Christensen (D-VI)
Rep. Kagen (D-WI)
What are the candidates saying about healthcare and other issues?
Youtube, the online video site, has just launched a new feature that allows the candidates to take short video clips and highlight their stance on various issues. Below you´ll find links to the videos that candidate have posted in regard to their healthcare positions. Take a look and see what they have to say!
Republican Candidates:
• Rudy Giuliani: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ek0sfKTqn3o
• Mike Huckabee: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tMMV0r8AxVM
• Ron Paul: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sjuEdJ0DAGc
• Mitt Romney: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PDvVh4UpzLQ
Democratic Candidates:
• Joe Biden: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9QzlMQOIlBQ
• Hillary Clinton: http://youtube.com/watch?v=168IwcWdB_c
• Christopher Dodd: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UKki9WUU6vY
• John Edwards: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kE8-G16Df1A
• Mike Gravel: http://youtube.com/watch?v=me7P55V4yQM
• Dennis Kucinich: http://youtube.com/watch?v=D4b5f3TomPo
• Barack Obama: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Eo07GYxYNSQ
• Bill Richardson: http://youtube.com/watch?v=U5cKcy6PiYs
Taking a Stand in Your Communities
"You Guys Are Everywhere!" Virginia´s Champions for Change Drive for Pledges, Track Candidates
Virginia´s Voter Express van, launched June 26 on the grounds of the state capitol in Richmond, has been traveling across the Commonwealth collecting signed Divided We Fail pledges at fairs and festivals along the way. During Senator John Edwards´ campaign stops on July 18, the Champions for Change received a warm and positive reception. At a Wise Country event, a volunteer in the front row was able to chat with Edwards about financial security.
Later, in Roanoke, volunteers shared the Divided We Fail Message with Mrs. Edwards. As they were leaving an aide remarked that the presidential candidates could use the organizational skills of AARP. Shaking hands with our volunteers, Senator Edwards remarked, “You guys are everywhere I go!’ To sign the pledge please visit www.dividedwefail.org.
Nevada Champions for Change on the Campaign Trail
The now familiar red shirts were spotted all over Nevada in July as the presidential candidates continued their campaign stops across the country. At a town hall meeting in Las Vegas on July 11, Nevada volunteers and staff discussed the Divided We Fail message with John Edwards. On July 12, volunteers attended the grand opening of Senator Chris Dodd´s Nevada campaign headquarters in Las Vegas. On July 13, AARP and SEIU volunteers staged a visibility effort outside an exclusive house party attended by Senator Barack Obama, which resulted in the Senator stopping to meet and talk to those in attendance and acknowledge Divided We Fail. That same day, volunteers attended the grand opening of Governor Bill Richardson´s Northern Nevada headquarters where they were able to meet and speak briefly with the candidate. Also on July 13, volunteers met Senator Dodd at a town hall meeting in Reno and then joined him later in the day for a more intimate discussion on health care issues.
To become a Divided We Fail volunteer please sign up at www.dividedwefail.org.
Divided We Fail. Together We Can Do Anything.
AARP is non-partisan, we do not endorse candidates, or make political contributions.
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