Cory Gardner is making an exceedingly lame pitch to seniors with his latest ad. "We'll honor every penny promised to today's seniors." Well Cory Gardner is defining who is a senior up. If he had his way, you couldn't be a senior (retire, get medicare) until you're 70. I think it's important to point out that his voting record is extreme, radical, and anything but conservative when it comes to these programs.
Senator Udall, here's a response you should be making, in a nice ad, at least. After all, what's wrong with getting seniors to vote for the guy who cares about social security and medicare, instead of the guy who'd whittle them away to nothing if he had the chance?
AD SUMMARY (Senator Udall campaign, feel free to use any aspect you'd like :))
"I'm Mark Udall and I approve this message, because seniors need to know who's on their side.
Mark Udall: I've been criticized for focusing too much on women's health and reproductive rights. While I don't think you can focus enough on that issue, the fact is that's only one of the most easily demonstrated examples of my opponents extremist and radical voting record.
Cory Gardner is equally as radical and extreme on seniors' issues.
I voted to cut overpayments to insurance companies and thereby improve the fiscal health of medicare, while simultaneously increasing benefits by closing the prescription drug donut hole, and providing for free preventative health care such as cancer, heart screening, and vaccinations. I received a 100% pro-retiree voting score (Alliance for Retired Americans), and a 100% score from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.
Cory Gardner has only been in congress for 3 years, yet he's voted 5 times to raise the Medicare eligibility age [graphic showing text of RSC budget FY 2014, which went to age 70], more than 5 times to increase current senior's copays for preventative healthcare, and more than 5 times to reopen the prescription donut hole that I've voted to close. In addition, he's voted 5 times to turn Medicare from a guaranteed benefit to a voucher program, which in the 2012 budget he voted for, would have doubled Medicare out of pocket costs for seniors by 2022 according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Cory Gardner has only been in congress for 3 years, yet he's voted 3 times to raise the social security retirement age to 70. He's voted 3 times to cut future social security benefits relative to current policy by using the chained CPI inflation index.
With this extremist voting record, is it any wonder Cory Gardner only received a 10% voting record for the Alliance for Retired Americans, and 20% for the National Committee to Preserve Medicare and Social Security?
I'm Mark Udall, and I'm committed to Colorado seniors, for my opponent, well, I'll let his record speak for itself."
Links Refs:
ARA vote scorecard
NCPSSM scorecard (membership required, but as a member I'd be happy to provide data to Udall Campaign, or other Kossacks interested in congressional records)
Ryan FY2012 Budget Medicare effects summary
House Roll Call
Senate Roll Call motion to proceed
Ryan FY2015 Budget Medicare effects summary
House Roll Call
RSC FY 2013 Budget
Roll Call
RSC FY 2014 Budget
Roll Call
RSC FY 2015 Budget
Roll Call