;;;;;; Where We Stand
Now It’s Your Turn By A. Barry Rand, CEO
You’ve paid into the system,
so make your voice heard
In my last column, I called for a national conversa- tion on the future of Social Security and Medicare.
Since then, many of our members have told
us that they want to have this conversation
and they are looking to AARP to lead it. As
one AARP member said, “If AARP doesn’t
take the lead on Social Security and Medicare, who will? There is no one else.”
That’s why, on March 19, we will kick off
You’ve Earned a Say, a national conversation
to ensure that Americans like you have a say
in the future of Social Security and Medicare.
I think we all know that Social Security
and Medicare need to be protected and
strengthened. More important, we can’t
continue to allow the politicians in Washington to debate these issues behind closed
doors. It’s time to give a voice to people who
have a vital interest in the future of these
programs as well as to those who earned
their Medicare and Social Security benefits
with a lifetime of hard work.
Any discussion about the future of Social
Security and Medicare needs to be based
on a clear understanding of the current
status and future needs of these vital programs. It needs to recognize the critical
role that Medicare and Social Security
play in the health and financial security
of older Americans. And it starts with the
knowledge of how changes would affect
the health and financial security of older
Americans—today and tomorrow.
At AARP, we believe that You’ve Earned
a Say, and we want to make sure your voice
is heard. We will give Americans who think
Washington isn’t listening a way to speak
out, a way to tell politicians what should be
done to keep Social Security and Medicare
strong for future generations.
Join our conversation about strengthening Social Security and Medicare
why Medicare and Social Security need to be
strengthened. We will also provide you with
information about proposals politicians
are putting on the table—with the pros and
the cons—and without all the political jargon and spin. And we will help you understand the consequences of those proposed
changes, both for individuals and society.
In this election year, we will hear plenty of
Social Security and Medicare debates. We
need to ask policymakers the tough questions and hold politicians accountable for
their views on these two pillars of retirement security. The next president and the
next Congress may well determine the future of Social Security and Medicare. And
you deserve to know where they stand.
As a citizen, as an AARP member and as
part of our 50-plus cohort who has paid into
Social Security and Medicare throughout
your working life, you’ve earned the right
to have your voice heard so we can protect
today’s seniors and keep Medicare and Social Security strong for future generations.
Now it’s your turn—You’ve Earned a Say! ;
; Get involved.
Complete the questionnaire
in the You’ve Earned a
Say insert in this issue
of the AARP Bulletin.
; Visit our website
at earnedasay.org to
make your voice heard.
You’ll also find the
Call to Action!
latest information on
the Social Security and
Medicare debate.
; Attend an AARP
event in your area and
make your voice heard.
; Tell your friends
and neighbors to get
involved. Let them
know that AARP is
listening even if Wash-
ington is not. Let them
know we are working
hard to ensure that
their voices are heard
in the debate about
the future of Social
Security and Medicare.
RAND: AARP; MEDICARE CARD: NE WSCOM; SOCIAL SECURIT Y CARD: CORBIS
