It's bad enough that corporations and their front groups can spend unlimited amounts of dollars trying to influence election campaigns with misleading and dishonest advertising.
This past week, I received such a mailing from a so-called seniors group that claimed that my area's Taliban congressman, Pete Sessions (TX-32) has fought to preserve Social Security and Medicare and should be thanked for his efforts.
This might be news for RetireSafe, the organization that probably spent tens of thousands of dollars sending large glossy post cards to district residents like myself, but what they're claiming is no where close to being true.
Given Sessions record, RetireSafe should have thought twice before wasting the money it spent on mailings portraying Sessions as something he clearly isn't-- a friend of seniors.
More below.
If RetireSafe was really concerned about safeguarding seniors' interests, all it had to do was to check Sessions' House web site. Here's part of what Sessions says about the Paul Ryan bill which he supports:
"On April 5, 2011, House Republicans unveiled the fiscal year 2012 House budget resolution. "The Path to Prosperity" proposed by Chairman Ryan will save over $6 trillion in the next ten years. . ."
The Sessions website piece continues:
"Congressman Sessions is encouraged by this common-sense budget plan that tackles our nation’s fiscal crisis head-on, recognizing that we must put an end to out-of-control spending to get our economy back on track."
In case this slipped out of the minds of RetireSafe, the Ryan bill is anything but a seniors' protection bill. Instead of saving Medicare as RetireSafe claims we should thank Sessions for, the Ryan plan ends Medicare as we know it and replaces it with a voucher system that beneficiaries can use to buy health insurance.
What if the voucher doesn't come even close to covering the cost of health insurance? The Ryan plan says tough luck to seniors in this predicament and forces them into financial ruin if a medical catastrophe requiring treatment comes up.
Is this something RetireSafe really thinks Sessions should be thanked for since he supports this proposal? More accurately put, can RetireSafe be really trusted as a legitimate spokesman of seniors interests, or is it more in a league with that other organization that claims to fights for seniors but really battles against their own interests-- the
60-Plus Association?
Contrary to the portrayal RetireSafe is peddling with its glossy mailers, Sessions is not just fighting against seniors' interests when it comes to trying to gut Medicare. Sessions also is fighting to
privatize Social Security.
Here's what Talking Points Memo reported:
Republican leaders left Social Security untouched in their House budget this year, but a group of GOP lawmakers are looking to fill the gap themselves with legislation that would create a voluntary privatized version of the program.
Introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), who also chairs the House’s campaign efforts at the NRCC, the “Savings Account For Every American Act” would allow people to immediately opt out of Social Security in favor of a private “S.A.F.E.” account.
Is it really safe to trust the stock market with seniors' hard-earned savings as Sessions wants to do? If the ups and downs of Wall Street serve as any indication, it really isn't a wise investment.
Once again, so much for Sessions as the seniors' best friend.
Citizens United may have given corporations and their front groups the right to spend unlimited dollars on campaigns. It didn't, however, limit the rights of those who see their television, radio, and postal ads to call them out when they spread the sort of lies and disinformation RetireSafe is trying to spread in my district in its defense of Pete Sessions (or other like-minded GOP congressmen who were extolled in similar mailings by the same organization).
I continue to pray that a strong opponent can be found to confront Sessions with his record and force Sessions to spend tons of money in the Dallas-Fort Worth media market in defense of his seat.