Resolution Action Plan. RTC Membership Meeting May 8, 2012

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1 Resolution Action Plan RTC Membership Meeting May 8, 2012

2 Please review the accompanying 'bundled' resolution proposals that will be considered by the UFT, NYSUT and AFT. We are looking to make this a grassroots idea and action plan to be presented at our June 12, 2012 General Membership Meeting in coordination with our scheduled speaker from the AFT Legislative and Political Department: John Ost. John will, as he has done in the past, give us a national overview of plans leading up to the November General Election Campaign. There are several important and conjoined issues that we are trying to address: the Affordable Medical Care Act, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, all of which are addressed in the Paul Ryan-initiated legislation adopted by the House of Representatives On these pages you will find a series of WHEREAS and RESOLVED s. they come from draft resolutions from AFT and NYSUT retiree councils. Let us know which ones you prefer to express your sentiments about the current issues. Using your suggestions we will craft a resolution or resolutions for next month s UFT RTC meeting that best expresses the general sentiment of our UFT members who reply. Please check with an X in the box in front of each which WHEREAS and RESOLVED s that you would want included in our resolutions. In addition, do you have a WHEREAS and/or RESOLVED that you think is omitted? Please write your suggestion for our consideration. 2

3 WHEREAS Whereas Social Security has been recognized in standing resolutions by the AFT as integral to the financial well being of retirees; Whereas Social Security is the principal source of income for nearly two-thirds of older American households receiving benefits, and roughly one third of those households depend on Social Security for nearly all of their income; Whereas, the Ryan-Wyden proposal privatizes and cuts benefits to Social Security; Whereas Social Security benefit payments have not contributed to the national debt, and Social Security benefits should not be reduced for the purpose of reducing the deficit; Whereas current Social Security benefit levels would be cut by 13% when normal retirement age exceeds the current age of 67 on top of the prior reduction of 13% when the retirement age was increased from age 65; Whereas the Chained CPI would result in a COLA cut to Social Security benefits totaling an average of $600 per year after 10 years, and $1,000 per year after 20 years; Whereas the Ryan Roadmap partially privatizes Social Security for current workers, thereby weakening the system and threatening the financial security of both retirees and current workers; Whereas new retirees would get benefits based on growth in prices rather than on growth in wages, resulting in benefit cuts of 70% to beneficiaries; 3

4 Whereas raising the earnings cap, opposed by Rep. Ryan, would significantly impact the solvency of the program and would significantly improve Social Security for decades; Whereas other small adjustments in Social Security funding that would not significantly impact beneficiaries would result in full funding of Social Security Trust Funds for decades in the future; Whereas means-testing for Social Security benefits would break the connections between contributions and earnings and would compromise public support for the program; Whereas means-testing would need to hit people with incomes around $40,000-the middle class- to get any significant savings; Whereas Social Security should be preserved and strengthened for young and old alike, instead of pushing for cuts to the benefits of future generations Whereas the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010, has strengthened Medicare by reducing costs, fighting waste and fraud, and improving benefits and the quality of care for seniors. Whereas the Affordable Care Act contributes significantly to a healthier and more secure retirement; Whereas the Congressional Budget Office has determined that the Affordable Care Act will contribute in the long term to a reduced federal deficit; Whereas the Affordable Care Act has protected and improved Medicare; 4

5 Whereas the Affordable Care Act has served to mitigate the crisis in the American health care system; by extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund; Whereas, the Affordable Care Act addresses the negative impact of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, through the elimination of the donut hole; Whereas provisions of the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT create a greater accountability of cost on the health insurance industry; Whereas the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT benefits for the American people are being challenged at the Supreme Court; Whereas, Social Security and Medicare are the foundations of a secure retirement for older Americans; Whereas the Ryan-Wyden proposal would transform traditional Medicare into a voucher program shifting cost burdens disproportionately onto beneficiaries; Whereas has been recognized in standing resolutions by the AFT as integral to the financial well being of retirees, Whereas the Ryan Roadmap privatizes Social Security; Whereas, with the collapse of the Super Committee triggering big cuts in defense and with the Bush tax cuts set to expire; Whereas, there will continue to be pressure to make a new deal to meet budget targets that protect defense spending and preserve at least some of the tax cuts; Whereas, the political environment surrounding these issues could cause policymakers to look again at savings and changes in 5

6 Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the Affordable Care Act (ACA); Whereas, while health reform attracts the most attention, And, Medicare is unique as a health issue because, despite the uproar about health reform, it is the one health issue proven to move votes, RESOLVED s Resolved, that the AFT urge Congress to reject the Ryan-Wyden proposal; and Resolved, that the AFT urge Congress to engage in dialogue with our members now to identify responsible changes to Social Security that would allow Americans to continue to be able to retire with dignity and not become a burden on other social services programs, as has been done over the decades since Social Security came into existence RESOLVED, that the AFT oppose efforts to undermine the U.S. healthcare system by shifting costs and risk to individuals; and RESOLVED, that the AFT support proposals to promote the efficient, effective delivery of healthcare through integrated systems that provide coordinated, efficient, evidence-based care supported by state-of-the-art information technology; and RESOLVED, that the willingness of political candidates to address the national healthcare crisis will be an important criterion for AFT in making political endorsements; and RESOLVED, that the AFT make comprehensive, intelligent reform of the healthcare system a priority of our organization until such time as our goals are achieved 6

7 YOUR Ideas: These can be over all thoughts, your own Whereas suggestions, and Resolution items. Please give particular attention to the Action Plan category. Re: the Ryan Plan: Re: Medicare: 7

8 Re: Social Security: Re: an Action Plan: Send suggestions to us ASAP or by June 1, Hand in at today's meeting or mail them to Tom Murphy at 52 Broadway, 17 th Floor New York, NY 10004, or suggestions to: 8