| EDITION 9 | NOVEMBER 2022 |
CONTENTS
- WE ARE GROWING
- VOTING NEWS
- MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
- STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
- CHAIR'S CORNER
- EVENTS
- STATE TEAMS ARE WORKING
- IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS
- THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
- FINAL THOUGHTS
- Suggestion Box
We are growing!
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We proudly announce that the Global Seniors Caucus is growing by leaps and bounds — we now have over 1,600 members. Thank you for being with us — and giving Seniors a voice! |
Connect with us  
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GOTV - Final Push
With only one week to go, we can still educate people about how to get their ballots home. Even if you have tapped out donating to your favorite candidates, you can still have a big impact.
Phone bankers are needed to call DEMOCRATS living abroad. You will receive training, and a script to use. This is a wonderful experience. Please get in touch with the GOTV team today. Thank you!!!
Call to Action - Write/Call your Rep!
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition which would allow a VOTE on HR.82. We have 22 signatures so far — we need 196 more. Read about it in the Medicare section below. Scripts are available on our website.
Call to Action - Letters to Editors
The National Democratic Seniors Council has prepared a Fact Sheet on how the Republicans threaten both Social Security and Medicare. It contains 5 warnings of what will happen if the Republicans take control of the Congress.
Included in this package are sample letters to the editor on Medicare and prescription drugs, as well as additional letters to the editor on the future of Social Security and Medicare. We urge you to send letters to the editor to your local newspapers as well as distributing the Fact Sheet widely in your social media and other communities.
We hope you will actively participate in this project!
Who has plans for 8 November?
Are you ready to pop the popcorn and wait for the election results to roll in? I will be on pins and needles as we are seeing polling numbers fluctuate in major swing state races. It is far too close for comfort. The big question is — will the Jan 6 Commission have the impact on this election that we are all hoping for?
Ballot Day Rally!
In case you missed DA's star-studded event with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and other very special guests Nancy Pelosi and Politics Girl Podcaster Leigh McGowan, with Mandela Barnes, Alex Padilla, John Fetterman, and Kirsten Gillibrand, you can listen to it here.
— Lauren Hakulinen, Editor
VOTING NEWS
Saudi oil prices continue to climb driving nervous investors to once again react to pollsters, and the stock market is doing what it usually does heading into an election — behaving erratically due to volatile speculation and trading.
They think they can take over our country! Let’s show them that we are made of something more substantial.
Democrats' leads are narrowing in a few states. Here is the latest polling data for Senate races from 270 to Win, and here is polling data from 538 for the House.
MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NEWS
We are in a historic position right now with unprecedented support for the repeal of the unfair WEP. We have never seen a WEP bill reach the House floor before.
As reported last month, the House Ways & Means Committee met for a mark-up session on Tuesday, September 20th to discuss bills regarding WEP. Among them were HR.82, the "Social Security Fairness Act" which would fully repeal the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). You can watch that session on YouTube and read the transcript.
Although HR.82 is stuck in Ways & Means, we learned late last month that HR.82 has taken an interesting turn. On Sept. 30, HR.82 author Rodney Davis (IL) filed a Discharge Petition to bring the bill to the House floor.
This is an unusual legislative move which will allow the bill to come to the House floor for a vote without the approval of the Speaker of the House.
The Speaker and House Leadership have expressed no willingness to schedule HR.82 for a vote, which is the reason Representative Davis felt obliged to take this action. The petition must receive 218 signatures of House members in order to succeed.
NEW Call to Action!
Keep Writing — it’s working! We have a new campaign for ridding seniors of the unintended consequences of WEP.
- Write and call your Members of Congress to ask them to allow a House VOTE on HR.82.
- We have 22 signatures so far, and have limited time to get the 218 signatures. The Discharge Petition can only be signed by Representatives in person on the House floor when the House is in session. The next sessions will be November 14 — 18, 28 & 29, and December 1 — 6.
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition today. You can get updates on WEP repeal efforts on this Facebook page. We will also continue keep an eye on this, and have more updates in our upcoming newsletters.
Our New Medicare page
Our new Medicare page
We have revised our Medicare page to make it easier for you to find vital information related to your Medicare . Take a look and let us know if you feel anything else is needed.
Medicare Rights Center Helpline
Are you or a loved one receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to? If you or someone you know is struggling, counseling expertise is available. Try the helpline now.
STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
The Social Security COLA Increase Will Ease the Sting of Inflation
About 70 million Americans collecting Social Security will receive an 8.7 percent bump in their benefits next year, the largest raise since 1981, the Social Security Administration said on Thursday. This will provide some measure of relief to retirees struggling with soaring prices on everyday necessities, from groceries to housing.
Prices have remained stubbornly high over the past year, even as federal policymakers have taken aggressive measures to rein them in. Social Security is designed to keep pace with inflation through its cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, which is calculated annually. Starting in January, the increase will lift the typical monthly retiree benefit by $140 to $1,827. That follows a 5.9 percent increase for 2022, a four-decade high at the time. Read more …
The Vast Majority of Americans have had Covid Vaccinations
Nearly half of Oklahoma’s overall population has declined the COVID-19 vaccine. Yet more than 90 percent of seniors in the state have completed at least one round of inoculations, and almost two-thirds have received at least one booster. Both figures fall close to national averages.
The same pattern plays out in other Republican-majority states. Public health data suggests red-state resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine is largely the province of the young. Seniors in the reddest states are inoculated and boosted at nearly the same rate as older Americans overall. The trend holds in Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Idaho, all states where large majorities of voters cast ballots for former President Trump in 2020. Read more …
Do Disabilities Impact Older People’s Moves to other Locations
Older adults aged 65 and older move to a different residence far less frequently than younger adults and when they do move, they’re more likely to stay close to their communities.
Most move within their counties, either to downsize or because they need housing (e.g., one-story or assisted living facilities) to accommodate changes in their health and disability status.
A new U.S. Census Bureau report uses data from the Census Bureau’s 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) to show the number and characteristics of older U.S. adults who moved and how far they moved. The ACS collects data on where people currently live and where they lived in the prior year, and on their disability status. Read more …
CHAIR'S CORNER
By Betsy Ettorre
We have been hoping that all our work in DA before the midterms will reap benefits for our party. Supporting State Teams, going to campaign events, asking questions of candidates, answering DA emails, helping with phone banking — all these actions by DA Seniors and DA members should help us to be successful in this race. What has caught my eye in all this work has been the sheer realization that this election is so important to democracy in the United States. All the lying, election denying, and just general rude and injurious behavior has had its toll on the American public. Now, democracy in the US needs the Democratic party. Let us keep working on this aim until election day and beyond.
EVENTS
Friday, 28 October: Casual Social
Everyone is very welcome to join the Seniors and Disability Caucus monthly chats via Zoom from 9am to 12 noon Eastern Time (US & Canada). RSVP to get your local time and add to your calendar.
Friday, 18 November — Bridging the Distance for Democracy
Join us as we speak with Seniors council members of various organizations to discuss how we can work more collaboratively to understand and advance issues such as Windfall Elimination Provision, Medicare Part B, Medicare Portability, tax reform and more.
The guest speakers will be from the states and from Democrats Abroad, including Steve Regenstreif, Chair, DNC Seniors Council; Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, Vice Chair DNC Seniors Council, President of Social Security Works PAC, and a member of the band Sha Na Na; Laurie Plotnick, President, Democratic Party Senior Caucus and President of the Florida Democratic Seniors Organizing Council; Betsy Ettorre, Karen Lee and Gina Schwarz from the Global Senior Caucus and Annie Graul, a DA member from Barcelona Spain, who pitched in recently to help with the Wisconsin Democratic Party Senior Council.
RSVP to get your Zoom link, local time, and to add to your calendar.
Meet the Candidate Events
Our State Teams are putting together very interesting events this month right up to 8 November. Check this Events page for one near you!
November 11 at 11am - Remembrance Day
On the 11th Day of the 11th Month at the 11th Hour in 1918, after four years of brutal combat, the guns fell silent. Join our fellow Europeans as they celebrate the end of World War I.
STATE TEAMS — ARE WORKING!
Our State Teams are going from strength to strength as they continue to host the Candidate Events mentioned above with some of the most famous names in Washington DC as well as rising stars. Each event is unique and interesting, and brings are new awareness to the world of what Democrats Abroad can do!
➔ Join the State Team Slack group to get the meeting links, or email us
➔ Join your Voting State group on Facebook
IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS...
Volunteers are the backbone of our organization.
The Global Senior Caucus is looking for aa "Tweeter" - someone who loves to post on Twitter. We are also in need of an Events Coordinator and two other Steering Committee members. Visit our website for details on our volunteer opportunities.
The Global Black Caucus is searching to fill more positions. Get in touch here.
The Global Communications Team is also looking for volunteers as they ramp up for the midterms! Do you have a communications background and are interested in helping? If so, please fill out the Global Communications Team Interest Form.
THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
November 1, 1800
President John Adams and his family move into the White House at1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, becoming the first president to live there.
November 18, 1872
Susan B. Anthony is arrested for leading a group of women to register and then vote at a Rochester, NY, polling site.
You can read more interesting dates in history here for November.
Final Thoughts
A museum has removed a likeness of Trump because people kept punching it.
GOTV - Final Push
With only one week to go, we can still educate people about how to get their ballots home. Even if you have tapped out donating to your favorite candidates, you can still have a big impact.
Phone bankers are needed to call DEMOCRATS living abroad. You will receive training, and a script to use. This is a wonderful experience. Please get in touch with the GOTV team today. Thank you!!!
Call to Action - Write/Call your Rep!
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition which would allow a VOTE on HR.82. We have 22 signatures so far — we need 196 more. Read about it in the Medicare section below. Scripts are available on our website.
Call to Action - Letters to Editors
The National Democratic Seniors Council has prepared a Fact Sheet on how the Republicans threaten both Social Security and Medicare. It contains 5 warnings of what will happen if the Republicans take control of the Congress.
Included in this package are sample letters to the editor on Medicare and prescription drugs, as well as additional letters to the editor on the future of Social Security and Medicare. We urge you to send letters to the editor to your local newspapers as well as distributing the Fact Sheet widely in your social media and other communities.
We hope you will actively participate in this project!
Who has plans for 8 November?
Are you ready to pop the popcorn and wait for the election results to roll in? I will be on pins and needles as we are seeing polling numbers fluctuate in major swing state races. It is far too close for comfort. The big question is — will the Jan 6 Commission have the impact on this election that we are all hoping for?
Ballot Day Rally!
In case you missed DA's star-studded event with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and other very special guests Nancy Pelosi and Politics Girl Podcaster Leigh McGowan, with Mandela Barnes, Alex Padilla, John Fetterman, and Kirsten Gillibrand, you can listen to it here.
— Lauren Hakulinen, Editor
VOTING NEWS
Saudi oil prices continue to climb driving nervous investors to once again react to pollsters, and the stock market is doing what it usually does heading into an election — behaving erratically due to volatile speculation and trading.
They think they can take over our country! Let’s show them that we are made of something more substantial.
Democrats' leads are narrowing in a few states. Here is the latest polling data for Senate races from 270 to Win, and here is polling data from 538 for the House.
MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NEWS
We are in a historic position right now with unprecedented support for the repeal of the unfair WEP. We have never seen a WEP bill reach the House floor before.
As reported last month, the House Ways & Means Committee met for a mark-up session on Tuesday, September 20th to discuss bills regarding WEP. Among them were HR.82, the "Social Security Fairness Act" which would fully repeal the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). You can watch that session on YouTube and read the transcript.
Although HR.82 is stuck in Ways & Means, we learned late last month that HR.82 has taken an interesting turn. On Sept. 30, HR.82 author Rodney Davis (IL) filed a Discharge Petition to bring the bill to the House floor.
This is an unusual legislative move which will allow the bill to come to the House floor for a vote without the approval of the Speaker of the House.
The Speaker and House Leadership have expressed no willingness to schedule HR.82 for a vote, which is the reason Representative Davis felt obliged to take this action. The petition must receive 218 signatures of House members in order to succeed.
NEW Call to Action!
Keep Writing — it’s working! We have a new campaign for ridding seniors of the unintended consequences of WEP.
- Write and call your Members of Congress to ask them to allow a House VOTE on HR.82.
- We have 22 signatures so far, and have limited time to get the 218 signatures. The Discharge Petition can only be signed by Representatives in person on the House floor when the House is in session. The next sessions will be November 14 — 18, 28 & 29, and December 1 — 6.
We implore you to contact your representative to Sign the Discharge Petition today. You can get updates on WEP repeal efforts on this Facebook page. We will also continue keep an eye on this, and have more updates in our upcoming newsletters.
Our New Medicare page
Our new Medicare page
We have revised our Medicare page to make it easier for you to find vital information related to your Medicare . Take a look and let us know if you feel anything else is needed.
Medicare Rights Center Helpline
Are you or a loved one receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to? If you or someone you know is struggling, counseling expertise is available. Try the helpline now.
STORIES FROM HOME AND ABROAD
The Social Security COLA Increase Will Ease the Sting of Inflation
About 70 million Americans collecting Social Security will receive an 8.7 percent bump in their benefits next year, the largest raise since 1981, the Social Security Administration said on Thursday. This will provide some measure of relief to retirees struggling with soaring prices on everyday necessities, from groceries to housing.
Prices have remained stubbornly high over the past year, even as federal policymakers have taken aggressive measures to rein them in. Social Security is designed to keep pace with inflation through its cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, which is calculated annually. Starting in January, the increase will lift the typical monthly retiree benefit by $140 to $1,827. That follows a 5.9 percent increase for 2022, a four-decade high at the time. Read more …
The Vast Majority of Americans have had Covid Vaccinations
Nearly half of Oklahoma’s overall population has declined the COVID-19 vaccine. Yet more than 90 percent of seniors in the state have completed at least one round of inoculations, and almost two-thirds have received at least one booster. Both figures fall close to national averages.
The same pattern plays out in other Republican-majority states. Public health data suggests red-state resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine is largely the province of the young. Seniors in the reddest states are inoculated and boosted at nearly the same rate as older Americans overall. The trend holds in Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Idaho, all states where large majorities of voters cast ballots for former President Trump in 2020. Read more …
Do Disabilities Impact Older People’s Moves to other Locations
Older adults aged 65 and older move to a different residence far less frequently than younger adults and when they do move, they’re more likely to stay close to their communities.
Most move within their counties, either to downsize or because they need housing (e.g., one-story or assisted living facilities) to accommodate changes in their health and disability status.
A new U.S. Census Bureau report uses data from the Census Bureau’s 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) to show the number and characteristics of older U.S. adults who moved and how far they moved. The ACS collects data on where people currently live and where they lived in the prior year, and on their disability status. Read more …
CHAIR'S CORNER
By Betsy Ettorre
We have been hoping that all our work in DA before the midterms will reap benefits for our party. Supporting State Teams, going to campaign events, asking questions of candidates, answering DA emails, helping with phone banking — all these actions by DA Seniors and DA members should help us to be successful in this race. What has caught my eye in all this work has been the sheer realization that this election is so important to democracy in the United States. All the lying, election denying, and just general rude and injurious behavior has had its toll on the American public. Now, democracy in the US needs the Democratic party. Let us keep working on this aim until election day and beyond.
EVENTS
Friday, 28 October: Casual Social
Everyone is very welcome to join the Seniors and Disability Caucus monthly chats via Zoom from 9am to 12 noon Eastern Time (US & Canada). RSVP to get your local time and add to your calendar.
Friday, 18 November — Bridging the Distance for Democracy
Join us as we speak with Seniors council members of various organizations to discuss how we can work more collaboratively to understand and advance issues such as Windfall Elimination Provision, Medicare Part B, Medicare Portability, tax reform and more.
The guest speakers will be from the states and from Democrats Abroad, including Steve Regenstreif, Chair, DNC Seniors Council; Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, Vice Chair DNC Seniors Council, President of Social Security Works PAC, and a member of the band Sha Na Na; Laurie Plotnick, President, Democratic Party Senior Caucus and President of the Florida Democratic Seniors Organizing Council; Betsy Ettorre, Karen Lee and Gina Schwarz from the Global Senior Caucus and Annie Graul, a DA member from Barcelona Spain, who pitched in recently to help with the Wisconsin Democratic Party Senior Council.
RSVP to get your Zoom link, local time, and to add to your calendar.
Meet the Candidate Events
Our State Teams are putting together very interesting events this month right up to 8 November. Check this Events page for one near you!
November 11 at 11am - Remembrance Day
On the 11th Day of the 11th Month at the 11th Hour in 1918, after four years of brutal combat, the guns fell silent. Join our fellow Europeans as they celebrate the end of World War I.
STATE TEAMS — ARE WORKING!
Our State Teams are going from strength to strength as they continue to host the Candidate Events mentioned above with some of the most famous names in Washington DC as well as rising stars. Each event is unique and interesting, and brings are new awareness to the world of what Democrats Abroad can do!
➔ Join the State Team Slack group to get the meeting links, or email us
➔ Join your Voting State group on Facebook
IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS...
Volunteers are the backbone of our organization.
The Global Senior Caucus is looking for aa "Tweeter" - someone who loves to post on Twitter. We are also in need of an Events Coordinator and two other Steering Committee members. Visit our website for details on our volunteer opportunities.
The Global Black Caucus is searching to fill more positions. Get in touch here.
The Global Communications Team is also looking for volunteers as they ramp up for the midterms! Do you have a communications background and are interested in helping? If so, please fill out the Global Communications Team Interest Form.
THIS MONTH IN U.S. HISTORY
November 1, 1800
President John Adams and his family move into the White House at1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, becoming the first president to live there.
November 18, 1872
Susan B. Anthony is arrested for leading a group of women to register and then vote at a Rochester, NY, polling site.
You can read more interesting dates in history here for November.
Final Thoughts
A museum has removed a likeness of Trump because people kept punching it.