Joe Donnelly On Medicare

Disappointed in Rep. Walorski and Sen. Donnelly

103 Members of the U.S House have co-sponsored H. Con. Res. 34, the House Resolution rejecting the Chained CPI that was introduced by Rep. Cicilline (D-RI). To see who those co-sponsors are (as of June 17), go to http://tinyurl.com/ob7yqed. In addition, twenty U.S. Senators have now co-sponsored S. Con. Res. 15, a Senate Resolution introduced by Senators Harkin (D-IA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Whitehouse (D-RI), rejecting the Chained CPI. To see that list of co-sponsors as of June 17, go to http://tinyurl.com/o4465ot. The Resolutions express the sense of Congress that the Chained Consumer Price Index should not be used to calculate cost of living adjustments for Social Security.

Look, I'm very disappointed in both Representative Jackie Walorski and Senator Joe Donnelly for not appearing on the list of co-sponsors as of today and I hope they will get on the list as soon as they can.

Retiree Group Endorses Joe Donnelly for U.S. Senate

Yesterday, Alliance for Retired Americans members proudly endorsed Joe Donnelly for United States Senate from Indiana at a membership meeting and afternoon picnic in Anderson, Indiana.

Barbara Easterling, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans, said, “Joe Donnelly has consistently demonstrated a strong determination to improve the quality of life for older Americans. His views on issues such as making essential services in health care, transportation, and housing widely available and affordable to seniors exhibit his commitment to seniors and all Hoosiers.”
 
Charlie Averill, Alliance Executive Board Member (above left) said that "Joe Donnelly has been the best Congressman I've ever had. He's always kept working families and retirees as a priority and he'll make a great U.S. Senator."

The Alliance for Retired Americans represents four million retirees, older Americans, and community activists, including over 120,000 members in Indiana.

Vote Joe Donnelly for Hoosier Jobs

Congratulations and the time

Congratulations Indiana State Representative Nancy Dembowski on her win in House District 17.
Congratulations to Nick Bourff for win for Starke County Prosecuting Attorney.
Congratulations to Joe Donnelly, Indiana District 2 Congressman.
You've all done very well, and the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees is proud of you all.

Now.......who the heck is responsible for it being dark outside in Starke County at 5 pm? That person shoud be..........I'm afraid to say.

Labor Supports Dembowski, Donnelly, Ellsworth

Active and retired union members came out last Saturday in Plymouth, Indiana to support Nancy Dembowski for Indiana House of Representatives, Joe Donnelly for Congress and Brad Ellsworth for U.S. Senate.

Let's Keep Social Security Safe from the Right Wingers

Joe Donnelly, My Congressman

Video for Joe Donnelly - Catholic

Why Joe Donnelly Will Vote YES on Health Care Reform

The U.S. House of Representatives will soon vote on health care reform legislation. This legislation will make health care affordable for the middle class, provide security for seniors, and guarantee access to health insurance for the uninsured – while reducing the federal deficit by over $100 billion over the next decade. This analysis examines the benefits of the legislation in the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana, which is represented by Rep. Joe Donnelly.

In Rep. Donnelly’s district, the health care reform bill will:

• Improve coverage for 412,000 residents with health insurance.
• Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 181,000 families and 13,500 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
• Improve Medicare for 108,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.
• Extend coverage to 64,500 uninsured residents.
• Guarantee that 12,900 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
• Protect 1,800 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
• Allow 53,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.
• Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 7 community health centers.
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $57 million annually.
  

Affordable High-Quality Health Care for the Middle Class

Essential health insurance reforms. Approximately 61% of the district (412,000 residents) receives health care coverage from an employer or through policies purchased on the individual market. Under the legislation, individuals with insurance can keep the coverage they have now, and it will get better. The insurance reforms in the bill prohibit annual and lifetime limits, eliminate rescissions for individuals who become ill while insured, ban coverage denials for pre-existing conditions, and reduce the cost of preventive care. To rein in soaring insurance costs, the reforms also limit the amount insurance companies can spend on administrative expenses, profits, and other overhead.

Historic health care tax cuts. Those who do not receive health care coverage through their employer will be able to purchase coverage at group rates through the new health insurance exchange. To make this insurance affordable, the legislation contains the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in history, providing middle class families with incomes up to $88,000 for a family of four with tax credits to help pay for coverage in the exchange. For a family of four making $50,000, the average tax credit will be approximately $5,800. There are 181,000 households in the district that could qualify for these credits if they purchase health insurance through the exchange or, in the case of households with incomes below 133% of poverty, receive coverage through Medicaid.

Coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. There are 12,900 uninsured individuals in the district who have pre-existing medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Under the bill’s insurance reforms, they cannot be denied affordable coverage.

Financial security for families. There were 1,800 health care-related bankruptcies in the district in 2008, caused primarily by the health care costs not covered by insurance. The bill caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $6,200 for individuals and $12,400 for families who purchase insurance through the exchange or who are insured by small businesses. It also eliminates annual and lifetime limits on all insurance coverage. These reforms ensure that no family will have to face financial ruin because of high health care costs.

Security for Seniors

Improving Medicare. There are 108,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the district. The legislation improves their benefits by providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, and enhancing nursing home care. The bill also strengthens the Medicare Trust Fund, extending its solvency from 2017 to 2026.

Closing the Part D donut hole. Each year, 10,200 Medicare beneficiaries in the district enter the Part D donut hole and are forced to pay the full cost of their prescription drugs. Under the bill, these beneficiaries will receive a $250 rebate in 2010, 50% discounts on brand name drugs beginning in 2011, and complete closure of the donut hole within a decade. A typical beneficiary who enters the donut hole will see savings of over $700 in 2011 and over $3,000 by 2020.

New Coverage Options for Young Adults

New lower-cost health care options for young adults. The legislation will allow young adults to remain on their parents’ policies until they turn 26. There are 53,000 young adults in the district who could benefit from this option. For individuals under age 30, the bill creates new, inexpensive policies that allow them to obtain protection from catastrophic health care costs.

Helping Small Businesses

Helping small businesses obtain health insurance. Under the legislation, small businesses with 100 employees or less will be able to join the health insurance exchange, benefiting from group rates and a greater choice of insurers. There are 15,600 small businesses in the district that could benefit from this provision.

Tax credits for small businesses. Small businesses with 25 employees or less and average wages of less than $50,000 will qualify for tax credits of up to 50% of the costs of providing health insurance. There are up to 13,500 small businesses in the district that could qualify for these credits.

Covering the Uninsured

Coverage of the uninsured. The legislation would extend coverage to 95% of all Americans. If this level of coverage is reached in the district, 64,500 residents who currently do not have health insurance will receive coverage.

Relieving the burden of uncompensated care. In 2008, health care providers in the district provided uncompensated care to individuals who lacked insurance coverage and were unable to pay their bills. Under the legislation, these costs of uncompensated care will be reduced by $57 million.

Supporting community health centers. There are 7 community health centers in the district that provide health care to the poor and medically underserved. Nationwide, the legislation would provide $11 billion in new funding for these centers. If the community health centers in the district receive the average level of support, the 7 centers will receive $9.1 million in new assistance.

Deficit Responsibility

No deficit spending. The cost of health care reform under the legislation is fully paid for, in large part by eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and excessive profits for private insurers. The legislation will reduce the deficit by over $100 billion over the next ten years and by about $1 trillion over the second decade.

This analysis is based upon the following sources: the U.S. Census (data on insurance rates, small businesses, and young adult population); the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (data on Medicare and Part D enrollment); the Department of Health and Human Services (data on health care- related bankruptcies, uncompensated care, and pre-existing conditions); the Health Resources and Services Administration (data on community health centers); and the Congressional Budget Office (estimates of the percentage of citizens with health insurance coverage under health care reform legislation).

Congressman Kucinich Does the Right Thing

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich did the right thing by coming down on the side of working families and retirees by saying yes to the healthcare overhaul legislation.

Kucinich has always been a friend of workers and seniors. He was holding out in the hopes that members of congress would accept something better such as Medicare for all. Republicans simply wouldn't deny their insurance company pals.

Thank you Dennis Kucinich. You are a champion for Americans.

Now, it's time for my own Congressman Joe Donnelly to also come down on the side of those who put him into office.

Joe Donnelly, Will he or Won't he?

This week, healthcare reform is expected to be voted on in the US House of Representatives.

They will be voting on the bill that was passed in the US Senate and then are expected to follow up with a legislation to make it even better.

My Congressman, Joe Donnelly, has stated that he will not vote for the Senate Bill as it is written.

My bet is that Donnelly will vote yes for the Senate version knowing that is will be followed up with a fix.

According to Families USA, nine people in Indiana die each year due to lack of the unaffordable health insurance.

Joe Donnelly, I'm convinced, will do the right thing.

Donnelly - Good for You

I was watching the debate on health care reform closely yesterday and gritted my teeth during the vote, preparing my mind to work my heart out to defeat Joe Donnelly in the next primary if he should end up voting the wrong way.
But alas, Joe came through for retirees and working families to bring us one step closer to reforming our deplorable health care system.

Congratulations Joe Donnelly and thanks so much for remembering who hired you. Now, keep it up. So far, your votes in Congress have been right on.

Feral Mongrel, a.k.a. Federal Mogul (What's the difference)

Feral Mongrel, a.k.a. Federal Mogul, is the company in Logansport, Indiana that is wanting to eliminate medical insurance for their retirees, thus requiring the rest of us to foot the bill.

This renegade company is located just a golf shot south of Logansport, Indiana on route 29.

It's located on the east side of the highway.

The address is 101 Industrial Blvd., Logansport, Indiana 46947.

If you would like to give them a call to let them know that they are on the wrong side of humanity, the phone number is: 574-722-6141.

Be sure to let them know that you know someone who is retired. Remind them that they know someone in their family who is retired.

Remind them that some day, they will also be retired.

Are you listening Congressman Donnelly? Now do you see why we need a public option included in the health insurance reform? To make up for poor coporate citizens like Feral Mongrel.

Federal Mogul Ain't no Cute Pig

Nope. Federal Mogul Corporation down in Logansport, Indiana ain't no cute kind of pig.

Oh no, this pig has been to the city trough enough times to qualify as an out and out hog.

We'll supply jobs with good benefits. Sure they will. Then after a few years cut the benefits and put the city, state and federal government and taxpayers on the hook for what remains.

This stinking company, Federal Mogul, is the worse kind of corporate citizen.

Negotiates benefits, then when retirees look for some little bit of security and pleasant retirement in their golden years, this rotten company puts the fright into them by suggesting they want to take away their medical insurance.

You know what? That suggestion came out someone's mouth. Not everyone's mouth. Just that one persons mouth. I want to know who that one person is.

Who's side is Joe Donnelly on? I want to know the answer to that question too.

Thanks God - for Liberals

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation designed to correct injustices for working women.

Remember Lilly Ledbetter? She was the lady who worked for Goodyear who was cheated by the company by being paid less than all the men who did the same job as she.

When she found out that the company had cheated her, she tried to get what was coming to her. The lousy company refused. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Being comprised of mostly right-wing conservatives who only vote for those things that cause human pain, misery, suffering or death, the Supreme Court ruled against her saying she didn’t file her complaint within six months of her finding out she had been cheated by her bosses. This of course, has allowed other right wing conservative CEO’s to continue doing the same thing to other working women.

Well here’s the good news:

The first bill passed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Act. This would overturn the Supreme Court’s hate filled decision.

The second bill passed was the Paycheck Fairness Act which should put stiffer penalties into broken laws by the worker hating companies.

Many thanks to Indiana’s liberal Congressmen Andre Carson, Joe Donnelly, Pete Visclosky, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill for knowing right from wrong and voting for workers on both of these bills.

Here’s the bad news:

Right wing conservative worker haters Mike Pence, Mark Souder, Steve Buyer and Dan Burton voted against workers. These are the four Indiana Congressmen who don’t deserve to be re-elected and instead need to be booted out.

Although the country has indicated that we want change in Washington, these two votes are an indication that the job of taking back our country hasn’t been completed. We’ve got more to do.

The right winger conservatives in the U.S. Senate will probably vote against workers and try to defeat these two bills. This indicates to me that the Employee Free Choice Act, which would help workers organize unions is in for a rough time from those who hate workers in our country. One reason for this is the fact that when workers have a union, employers wouldn't dare try to pay women less than men for doing the same job.

Fortunately we now have a good, smart, liberal, worker friendly president-elect, Barack Obama who is on the side of workers.

AFL-CIO Congressional Voting Record for 2007

AFL-CIO Voting Record for 2007 -Percent of votes in favor of Working Families

The AFL-CIO Voting Record lets you know where your lawmakers stand on working family issues such as strengthening Social Security and Medicare, freedom to join a union, workplace safety and more.
All votes were selected for inclusion because of their importance to working families. The graph below show the percentage of the time that each of these Representatives and Senators voted correctly ie; a pro-working families, vote. The Voting Record also shows each member's lifetime record of support for working families.

Here's how they have voted

You can find this information, not only for the above but for all the members of congress by going to the AFL-CIO website.

An Independent Voice in Congress

“In this election, we will bring sweeping change to the United States Congress in our country. The time has come to end the corruption and cronyism that is rampant in Washington. It is time for our government to stand up again for the middle class and for working families.__In Congress, I will put the needs of the people in our District first and foremost. We are not just Democrats or Republicans. We are Hoosiers with a common interest in making our country a better place, and creating a brighter future for our children.__I invite you to become part of our campaign team and help make the difference in this election. Your volunteer assistance, whether a few minutes or a few days a week, can help change Indiana's future. I look forward to meeting you during the campaign. Together, we can change Washington and build a better world.__I hope to see you soon.”

Joe Donnelly

Source: Joe Donnelly Website

Note: Joe is a candidate in Indiana's 2nd Congressional District.