Jim Martin, “Obama, AARP mired in political strategy, could care less about solutions.”

(Alexandria, Virginia) – Jim Martin, Chairman of the 60 Plus Association, the nation’s largest conservative seniors advocacy group counting over 7 million supporters, today responded to White House and Congressional Democrat opposition to the historic Wyden-Ryan plan on entitlement reform, named for its sponsors, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI). The plan, hailed from both sides of the aisle, protects the current Medicare system and also offers free-market reforms that offer seniors and future retirees options that will lead to lower costs.

“This is a great day for every American, as we have achieved bi-partisan cooperation on entitlement reform and are starting on a path that could finally save Medicare from insolvency.  Without entitlement reform, it is impossible to fix the nation’s tremendous debt problem, which weighs down our economy and hurts everyone. Senator Wyden and his supporters are to be commended for reaching across the aisle and putting solutions above politics.

“It is a shame that the same can’t be said for the White House, or Congressional Democrats like Fortney Pete Stark (CA) who still parrot the same, false and tired talking points calling any attempt to reform entitlements as ‘ending Medicare as we know it.’  Congressman Stark knows that the fastest way to end Medicare as we know it is to embrace his position, which is to do nothing.  But he would rather score political points and scare seniors instead of actually helping them.

“And the AARP is once again acting like an auxiliary office of the White House and Congressional Democrats, sitting on their hands, and waiting for the White House nod to attack this plan at the appropriate time.  AARP says they are ‘cautiously optimistic’ when they should be ‘cheering wildly,’ or at least enthusiastic about a plan that will protect seniors and save Medicare. Come November, seniors will remember who is most concerned about actually fixing Medicare, and who was only worried about the next election.”

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